Schlumberger Ltd , the world's largest oilfield services company warned on Friday that the credit crisis and softening global economy would dampen energy spending into next year.

For the sixth consecutive month, less than half of the monthly business activity indicators tracked by the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) showed improvement.

A financial services company that held real estate profits for other companies has gone out of business, and investigators are trying to account for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - Many companies are cutting back on holiday parties this year because of the struggling economy, and less celebrating means less business for local banquet halls and catering services.

New figures show that the euro zone's services and manufacturing sectors sank much deeper and faster than expected in November to record lows as consumer and business demand collapsed at home and abroad.