Augusta Chronicle, The

Demand Rebounds for Durable Goods

Factories saw demand for big-ticket goods rebound in February, good news for the country's economic health and for manufacturers who have struggled to get their piece of the business recovery. The Commerce Department reported Wednesday that orders for "durable" goods - costly manufactured products that are expected to last at least three years - rose by 2.5 percent last month. That was an improvement from the 2.7 percent drop registered in January and represented the largest increase si...

High-Priced Gasoline Does Not Yield Profits

Marty Koger is feeling the pinch of high gas prices as much as anyone. Aside from being a motorist during a period of record prices, he also sells the stuff. Contrary to popular perception, and a lot of misplaced anger, gas station owners are strained under skyrocketing price spikes as their already thin profit margins get squeezed to next to nothing.

Microsoft Fined $613 Million

Associated Press The European Union slapped Microsoft Corp. with a $613 million fine Wednesday for abusively wielding its Windows software monopoly and ordered sanctions that go well beyond the U.S. antitrust settlement - setting up what could be another lengthy court battle.

Around Town

Local exec gets top sweet spot The NutraSweet Co. on Wednesday announced its top executive in Augusta has been promoted to president and chief operating officer of the Chicago-based artificial sweetener company.

Stocks Close Mixed On Terrorism Fears

Terrorism fears and a record antitrust fine for Microsoft Corp. gave Wall Street another volatile session Wednesday, with stocks staggering to a mixed finish after four days of declines. The market was jolted by a late-morning report that a French railway worker had found a bomb under a passenger line between Paris and Basel, Switzerland, but prices recovered when it became clear that the device had been defused. Yet buyers remained scarce, and only the technology-heavy Nasdaq composite ind...

High Cost Increases Drive-Offs

It seems like it would be easy to drive off without paying for your gas, especially at big stations where the attendant is on the other side of the lot. And as gas prices continue to go up this spring, more drivers may be willing to take the risk.

Breifly

Hewlett-Packard says it will distribute Linux SALT LAKE CITY - Responding to corporate America's thirst for a cheap alternative to Microsoft Windows, Hewlett-Packard Co. announced Wednesday that it will widely distribute and support Linux as a desktop operating system for businesses.