As the sputtering economy slows down construction work, home contractors have to go farther to find work, and draw on past experiences to get through the latest downturn.

Cindy Krischer Goodman--The Miami Herald. MIAMI -- Only 28, Carla da Silva has discovered what many successful business people already know: Work experience in another country can give you a huge boost in clout.

July 9 (Bloomberg) -- Australia's home-loan approvals fell four times as much as economists forecast in May as the highest interest rates in 12 years and rising building costs damped demand for property.

Wholesale prices barreled ahead while housing and industrial activity faltered — a blend of high-costs and slow growth that ensures the Federal Reserve's most likely move on interest rates next week will be no move whatsoever.

Thank you, Catie. I appreciate this opportunity to join you this morning to give my thoughts on current market conditions. As we all know, the U.S. economy and our financial markets are undergoing a period of stress. We will work through this period, as w