US factories grow at fastest pace since June 2011

WASHINGTON: US manufacturing expanded in February at the fastest pace since June 2011, buoyed by increases in new orders and production.

Starbucks Offers to Pay More British Tax Than Required

PARIS — Starbucks offered on Wednesday to pay about £10 million a year in corporate taxes in Britain — or £10 million more than it paid last year — in an effort to defuse protests against its lack of contributions to public coffers at a time when ordinary taxpayers were feeling the effects of government spending cuts.

Companies add 163,000 jobs, but manufacturing falters

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. companies hired more workers than expected in July, but continued weakness in the manufacturing sector pointed to sluggish economic growth.