UNITED STATES

Walgreen posts surprise drop in same-store sales

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Walgreen Co said sales at its drugstores open for at least a year fell 0.3 percent in December instead of rising as Wall Street had expected, as fewer customers came in and spent less when they did shop.

Job losses slow in December, service sector grows

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The rate of job losses at U.S. private employers slowed in December and the services sector showed marginal growth, according to reports on Wednesday which underlined the tentative nature of the economic recovery.
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France wants to add more countries to risk list

France's interior minister wants to add 23 countries to a list of places whose air travelers face tighter security measures, in response to the botched bombing of a U.S.-bound airliner last month.
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Japan PM picks deputy for finance minister amid policy doubts

Japan's prime minister chose his deputy, Naoto Kan, as finance minister on Wednesday after the elderly holder of the post resigned amid worries about whether the government could rein in spending in the face of a frail economy and ballooning debt.
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Al Qaeda activity in Yemen

Yemen has stepped up a campaign to root out al Qaeda militants after the group's Yemen-based wing said it was behind a December 25 attempt to bomb a U.S. airliner.
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Yemen arrests three Qaeda militants, targets leader

Yemeni forces surrounded a suspected al Qaeda regional leader in a house near the capital after earlier arresting three militants wounded in a raid, security sources said, as the country cracked down on militancy.
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Wall Street flat after ISM data

Stocks stayed little changed on Wednesday after data showed the services sector expanded marginally in December following a surprise contraction in November.
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Private sector job losses slow in December

The rate of job losses at U.S. private employers slowed in December, while planned layoffs at companies fell to the lowest in two years during the month, according to two reports released on Wednesday.
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U.S. mortgage data stems oil's nine-day rally

Oil eased on Wednesday after U.S. data showed weak mortgage demand in the world's top energy consumer, halting a nine-day rally that has lifted crude futures by 14 percent due to cold weather and geopolitical jitters.
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U.S. job cuts shrink to two-year low in December

Planned layoffs at U.S. firms fell in December to their lowest level in two years as economic activity began picking up steam, capping off the worst year for corporate job cuts since 2002, a report on Wednesday showed.
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Mortgage demand near six-month low as rates jump

Demand for U.S. mortgages held last week near six-month lows as the highest long-term borrowing costs since August stifled refinancing, a Mortgage Bankers Association survey showed on Wednesday.
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Senate panel nears agreement on role of Fed

As Congress moves to reform U.S. financial regulation, key senators are nearing bipartisan agreement on stripping the Federal Reserve of its authority to supervise banks, two people familiar with the matter said.
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U.S. private sector job losses slow in December

The rate of job losses at U.S. private employers slowed in December, while planned layoffs at companies fell to the lowest in two years during the month, according to two reports released on Wednesday.
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Study turns up 10 autism clusters in California

U.S. researchers have identified 10 locations in California that have double the rates of autism found in surrounding areas, and these clusters were located in neighborhoods with high concentrations of white, highly educated parents.
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Democrats optimistic on healthcare bill prospect

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Tuesday she was sure Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate would produce a final healthcare reform plan that would hold insurers accountable and make medical coverage affordable.
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Gaps in U.S. kids' vaccine coverage shrinking

More US kids are fully immunized against common childhood illnesses, and disparities in vaccine coverage among socioeconomic groups are shrinking, a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows.
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Stock futures fall ahead of ADP employment, ISM data

Stock index futures fell on Wednesday, a day after the S&P 500 closed at a 15-month high, as investors braced for a private report on jobs that is a precursor to the closely watched government non-farm payrolls report due Friday

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