Spain easily sells $7.16 bln in short-term debt

Spain has successfully sold euro5.4 billion ($7.16 billion) in short-term debt with strong demand and interest rates down despite the country's latest credit rating downgrade.

Toyota boosts US sales with rental cars

Toyota's strong start to 2012 got a boost from rental-car sales, a market it has long avoided. 1329248746

Summary Box: EU asks China help on Iran, Syria

CHINA APPEAL: European Union leaders urged China to open its markets, join in persuading Iran to negotiate over its nuclear program and help end bloodshed in Syria, as they held a summit delayed by Europe's debt crisis. 1329237946

FILE - In this Monday, May 14, 2007 file photo, Japan Atomic Energy Commission chairman Shunsuke Kondo speaks at a press conference in Tokyo. Kondo, who outlined the worst-case scenario for the unfolding nuclear disaster last March, is defending how his study, warning that millions of people may need to evacuate, was kept secret. He said Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012 that authorities would have had as much as a week or two to expand the evacuation zone if the worst-case scenario had started to unfold.

Japan official faults nuke design, defends secrecy

The government official who outlined Japan's worst-case scenario for the unfolding nuclear disaster last March defended how his study, warning that millions of people might have to flee, was kept secret.

Vt. utility sets up another free car charging site

Vermonters who drive electric vehicles now have another location where they can charge their cars and it's free for the first year. 1329243030

AB to invest up to $80 million in Mo. subsidiary

Anheuser-Busch says it will invest between $70 million and $80 million to increase production capacity at its Metal Container Corp. subsidy in the St. Louis suburb of Arnold. 1329240372

NM Senate approves corporate income tax change

The Senate has approved a proposal to lower New Mexico's corporate income tax rate but change the tax treatment of large corporations with income from operations nationwide. 1329235245

Alda Silva does the bookkeeping of her food store Monday, Feb. 13, 2012 in Lisbon. Small firms with fewer than fifty workers make up more than 99 percent of Portugal's businesses and they're collapsing at an alarming rate. The debt-crippled eurozone country is choking amid grinding austerity measures enacted in return for a 78 billion euro ($103 billion) bailout, a steep recession, an acute shortage of cash, and record unemployment.

Eurozone set for Q4 economic contraction

A run of downbeat economic news Tuesday reinforced expectations that the 17-nation eurozone's economy shrank during the last three months of 2011 as the government debt crisis dragged on even the biggest and richest countries.

Portugal records double-dip recession in 2011

Portugal's economy contracted by 1.5 percent last year, pitching it into a double-dip recession amid an acute financial crisis, the country's statistics agency reports.

EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, right, shakes hands with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao beside EU President Herman Van Rompuy at the Great Hall of the People during their summit in Beijing Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012.

EU leader pushes for Chinese help on Iran, Syria

European Union leaders urged China on Tuesday to open its markets, join in persuading Iran to negotiate over its nuclear program and help end bloodshed in Syria as they held a summit delayed by Europe's debt crisis. Photo Gallery Available

Dollar jumps to 3-month high against yen

The dollar is at a three-month high against the Japanese yen after the Bank of Japan said it would increase its stimulus program. 1329242733

Late payments on mortgages rise again in 4th qtr

Late payments on mortgages ticked up in the last three months of 2011, the second straight quarter-to-quarter increase after nearly two years of steady decline. 1329242434

A look at Greece's austerity measures

Greece's international creditors have spelled out the austerity measures promised by Athens that have to be put into practice before it can receive new bailout cash, totaling more than euro2.5 billion ($3.31 billion).

Air Canada flight makes emergency Honolulu landing

An Air Canada flight has landed in Vancouver - four hours later than scheduled because the plane returned to Honolulu for an emergency landing. 1329243929

Oil price flat near $101 per barrel

Oil prices were flat Tuesday as Greece and its creditors continued to work on plans to trim massive debts. Natural gas prices jumped as bargain hunters snapped up contracts that are still the cheapest in 10 years. 1329242144 Photo Gallery Available

W.Va. AG launches mortgage settlement project

West Virginia officials are launching a project to help homeowners get relief stemming from a nationwide mortgage settlement. 1329240372

Verizon spends $725M on Va telecom upgrades in '11

Verizon Communications Inc. says it spent more than $725 million on telecommunications and information technology improvements in Virginia in 2011. 1329236737

Avon posts 4Q loss as sales slump, costs rise

Despite Avon Products Inc.'s efforts to revive its business, the beauty products seller posted a fourth-quarter net loss as sales fell, costs rose and it marked down the value of a silver jewelry company acquired in 2010. 1329233743

Italian borrowing costs ease

Italy saw its borrowing costs drop as it raised nearly euro6 billion ($7.8 billion) in bonds Tuesday.

Michael Kors' shares soar after strong 3Q results

Shares of Michael Kors Holdings Ltd. soared as much as 25 percent early Tuesday after the luxury company said its fiscal third-quarter earnings rose 40 percent and revenue rose 68 percent, results that beat Wall Street expectations. 1329242733

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