Unemployment Rates

The unemployment rate for December is down to 8.5 percent, the lowest in almost three years.

The U.S. credit industry is in much better shape than it was a few years ago. And that means changes are in store for how consumers and small businesses deal with credit.

Check out our 10 surefire small business predictions for 2012. From the next president to foreign trade, we tell you how it's going to go. Maybe. Hopefully.

More good news on jobs and the U.S. trade deficit makes a case for cautious optimism among small businesses during the year ahead.

Personal branding isn't just for celebrities. Author and consultant Nick Nanton explains how to build your own brand -- without spending a fortune.

The jobless rate hit its lowest level since March 2009, but wrangling over a payroll tax-cut extension continues to add uncertainty for small businesses.

Come January, prices for businesses using the Post Office are going up as the USPS struggles to rein in deficits and remain competitive.

It seems inevitable that Congress will fail to come up with a long-term budget solution. But there's still time left for them to pull it off.

Greece and Italy are taking steps to get their houses in fiscal order. But will it be enough to save the eurozone from a breakup?

Many companies are reluctant to take a chance on a candidate who has been jobless for a long period of time. But you may be missing out on a great hire.

College graduation rates are stagnant, even as enrollment climbs. That's creating a growing "skill gap" for small businesses seeking skilled workers.

In last night's address to Congress, President Obama proposed more payroll tax breaks, as well as new deductions to encourage hiring by entrepreneurs and startups.

For small-business owners, debt-reduction measures and monetary policy remain the keys to divining the nation's long-term economic fortunes.

Alan Krueger's nomination to head the White House Council of Economic Advisers bodes well for the Obama Administration's job-creation efforts.

Looking for the very best personal-finance blog posts from all over the Web? We've got them right here -- organized by topic for easier browsing.

The sluggish economy is driving a "change or die" mentality that small retailers ignore at their peril.

Will employment ever pick up? Probably not, suggests new research. Small businesses just aren’t hiring people the way they used to.

Lawmakers may have averted a debt default, but that may not be enough to appease global credit-rating agencies.

If you just read the headlines, you’d believe the economy is returning to good health. But a look inside the numbers tells a more disturbing story.