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NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks have regained some of the ground lost this morning, but they remain down for the day in afternoon trading. Nine of the 10 sectors in the S&P 500 are lower, with materials and utilities stocks among the biggest decliners. Energy stocks are edging higher, with benchmark U.S. crude up more than $1.50, trading above $60 a barrel in New York.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of available jobs across the U.S. fell in March, though companies filled more of their open positions. The Labor Department says job postings fell 2.9 percent to just under 5 million. Meanwhile, total hiring ticked up 1.1 percent to 5.1 million, the most since December. Among the positive signs, the number of people quitting their jobs rose. That's a good sign because workers typically quit when they have a new job, usually at higher pay. However, layoffs were also up, particularly in the Midwest, where the oil and gas industry has been feeling the effects of the oil price slump.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve Bank of New York says total household debt ticked up 0.2 percent to $11.85 trillion in the first three months of the year. The nearly flat reading came after two quarters of increases. Household debt, which includes mortgages, student and auto loans, and credit cards, is still 6.5 percent below its 2008 peak. The figures suggest that lenders' high credit standards and reluctance among consumers to run up debt continues to weigh on growth.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Two major wireless carriers are settling charges that they allowed phony charges on their customers' monthly bills. The Federal Communications Commission says Verizon Wireless and Sprint partnered with third-party vendors that sell premium text messaging services, such as daily horoscopes, trivia and sports scores. But consumers who hadn't signed up for the services were being billed anyway, typically about $9.99 a month. Verizon has agreed to pay $90 million and Sprint $68 million in the settlement.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Prices for eggs and turkey meat are rising, and bird flu is to blame. An outbreak of the virus in the Midwest has claimed millions of chickens and turkeys. Farmers have had to cull their flocks to prevent further spread of the flu, and that's push the price of a carton of eggs up nearly 17 percent in the Midwest over the past month to $1.39. Iowa, the leading egg producer, has lost 26 million hens.
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