A federal appeals court invalidated a California law Thursday that allowed heirs of Armenians killed in the Turkish Ottoman Empire nearly a century ago to seek payment on the life insurance policies of dead relatives.

Venezuela’s economy shrank 2.4 percent in the second quarter — its first contraction in five years — as oil prices fell and imports were restricted due to the world economic crisis, the Central Bank said Thursday.

U.S. to trim budget deficit target

Mexico’s economy shrank 10.3 percent in the second quarter, the worst quarterly drop since comparable records began being kept in 1981, the government said Thursday.

Americans fell behind on their mortgage payments at a record pace this spring while the number of workers filing new claims for jobless benefits…

More signs that the economy is creeping toward recovery encouraged investors to move further into stocks — but at a cautious pace.

Commodities were little changed Thursday after the latest batch of mixed economic data. Still uncertain about the strength of the economy’s recovery, investors were hesitant to buy gold, copper, soybeans and other materials that depend on robust economic activity to drive prices higher.

The real estate sector shrugged off more negative news Thursday to lead the market higher. Nearly one in eight homeowners — a record high — were…

The Obama administration will end the popular $3 billion Cash for Clunkers program on Monday, giving car shoppers a few more days to take advantage of big government incentives.

Treasury prices were mixed Thursday as investors sorted through a batch of data that pointed toward an economic recovery — and some that raised more questions about employment and consumer spending.