Factory

By Christopher S. Rugaber and Tom Krisher WASHINGTON (AP) -- The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits plunged last week. But a big reason is that automakers have skipped some of their usual summer shutdowns to keep up with demand, causing fewer temporary auto layoffs. Economists expect ...

By Caryn Rousseau CHICAGO -- Serious Energy Inc. said Thursday it will close a Chicago window factory that became a symbol of the plight of American workers more than three years ago when employees briefly occupied the building. ...

By Christopher S. Rugaber WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. manufacturing grew more slowly in October, hampered by weaker demand for exports and slower production at factories. But companies ordered more goods, factories slashed their stockpiles and auto sales rose. Those trends suggest manufacturing activity could ...