The push to address the United States’ long-term fiscal problems, and to remove the debate from the partisanship in Congress, took a step forward Wednesday.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits rose more than expected last week, but a surprise narrowing in the trade gap in October suggested the economic recovery was becoming entrenched.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits rose more than expected last week, but a surprise narrowing in the trade gap in October suggested the economic recovery was becoming entrenched.

The U.S. trade deficit unexpectedly narrowed in October as exports surged to the highest level in nearly a year. Growing exports, boosted by a weaker dollar, are expected to boost demand for American manufactured goods in coming months and provide important strength to the overall economic recovery.

As Mark Kirk campaigns for the Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama, the Republican congressman casts himself as a scourge of the pork-barrel, special-interest congressional spending known as “earmarks.”

ELKRIDGE, Md.—-Global performance improvement solutions provider General Physics Corporation , a subsidiary of GP Strategies Corporation , announced today it has achieved a major milestone by providing Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear detection, protection and decontamination equipment training to over 90,000 first responders.

The number of newly laid-off workers seeking jobless benefits rose more than expected last week, after falling for five straight weeks.

TOKYO—-IDC today announced the complete results from the ICT Sustainability IndexTM, which ranks the ability of the G20 nations to use Information and Communications Technologies to reduce their CO2 emissions.

Wall Street rose at the open on Thursday after new claims for jobless benefits rose more than expected but the number of people seeking extended benefits fell, and a separate report showed the U.S. trade deficit unexpectedly narrowed.

Stocks are rising as a report showing an improved trade deficit offset disappointing employment data. The Commerce Department says a surge in exports helped narrow the trade deficit to $32.9 billion in October.