Retail and Business

Applications for unemployment benefits decreased by 3,000 to 420,000 for the week ending Dec. 11, the lowest in three weeks, according to figures from the U.S. Department of Labor.

This came after a week when …

Confidence among small businesses rose in November, according to a survey by the National Federation of Independent Business.

The group’s optimism index gained 1.5 points to 93.2, following a 2.7 point-gain in October. The 93.2 …

Meredith Corp. completed its acquisition of Real Girls Media Network on Monday.

The Real Girls Media Network includes the website DivineCaroline.com, which publishes user-generated content for women.

The network averages approximately 5 million unique visitors …

Sales of gasoline, groceries and prepared foods all continued to rise at the retail outlets of Casey’s General Stores Inc. in the company’s fiscal second quarter.

For the quarter ended Oct. 31, the Ankeny-based convenience …

Restoration work has begun on the 108-year-old arched canopy over Fourth Street, extending between the former Rock Island Railroad depot – the home of Business Publications Corp. Inc. – and the Hessen Haus restaurant.

The …

The attitude of U.S. consumers is improving, Reuters reported.

Consumer sentiment was up to 74.2 in December from 71.6 in November, according to a preliminary reading on the overall index on consumer sentiment by Thomson …

Drake University journalism students on Thursday launched Urban Plains, an all-digital lifestyle magazine intended to promote the Midwest. Its digital format, which allows readers to consume videos, slideshows and audio clips on their mobile phones …

Children & Families of Iowa (CFI) announced today the three chairs who will head up the organization’s Building Futures Capital Campaign. Jeff Rommel with Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co., Daniel Houston with Principal Financial Group Inc. …

Companies are in position to increase payrolls next year as revenue picks up, according to an annual survey of chief financial officers released today by Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Forty-seven percent of CFOs said …

KCCI television will expand its weekend morning newscasts by two hours. The station, owned by Hearst Television Inc., will add an hour of news each weekend morning beginning at 5 a.m. As part of the …