Google Inc. snapped up at least 15 companies in the first seven months of the year as it fights to protect its online dominance amid rapid transformation in the sector.

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A research paper by presidential economic adviser Christina Romer has caused a stir in the debate over whether to extend George W. Bush-era tax cuts by validating Republican beliefs that lowering taxes can boost output, while increasing them can have the opposite effect. Tom Abate

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New jobless claims fell last week for the third time in four weeks but remain elevated. The decline is a sign that the economy likely added jobs in July, although not enough to lower the nation's high unemployment rate.

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• Fed reports economic slowdown in some areas

The U.S. economic recovery will remain slow deep into next year, held back by shoppers reluctant to spend and employers hesitant to hire, according to an Associated Press survey of leading economists.

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Net Worth: Congress has just come up with an extra $1 billion to help people who can't pay their mortgage because of unemployment or a medical problem.  Kathleen Pender

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Visa Inc., the world's biggest payments network, posted a fiscal third-quarter profit that exceeded most Wall Street estimates for a 10th consecutive quarter as more consumers paid with plastic. 

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