financialbailoutblog.com

The number of Americans filing for initial unemployment insurance rose last week, the government said Thursday.

Dear Annie: What’s up with all the phone interviews lately? The last time I looked for a job, about 10 years ago, I never once was interviewed over the phone. Now, I’ve been job hunting for about 4 months and have had seven phone interviews, none of which has led anywhere. Is there some kind of secret to successfully interviewing on the phone? I’m trying to figure out where I’ve gone wrong. –Discouraged in Dayton

Several leading retail chains reported January same-store sales numbers Thursday that beat expectations, bolstering talk of a budding rebound at the nation’s malls and discounters.

Luckily for banks, the commercial real estate time bomb just keeps on ticking.

A bronze sculpture of a man walking sold for $104.3 million at auction in London, setting a new world record for the highest price paid at auction for a work of art.

Question: My mother-in-law, who’s in her early 60s, was recently widowed. She now has Social Security and approximately $300,000 from a life insurance policy to live on. She’s not comfortable taking on much, if any, risk but she does need to generate income from the life insurance proceeds. Any recommendations for how she should invest this money? –Chris, Atlanta, Georgia

If you were under billed, it’s the other party’s responsibility to pay up, not yours, according to Money’s ethicists.

Southwest is beating the air travel slump. The biggest U.S. discount airline surprised investors in January by posting earnings of $74 million (before one-time charges) after lower jet fuel prices made up for cheaper ticket prices.