.jpg){kind=small}
- The Dow and the S&P 500 are higher in afternoon trading on Wall Street, while the Nasdaq remains in negative territory. Stocks have failed to mount a sustained rally in recent weeks amid concern about the threat of tax hikes and spending cuts at the beginning of January.
- President Barack Obama tells business leaders that the GOP should not set up a confrontation over raising the debt ceiling. Addressing the Business Roundtable, the president said that is "not a game" that he's willing to play.
- The latest check of the nation's service sector finds growth, at a slightly faster pace. The Institute for Supply Management's index of non-manufacturing activity rose to 54.7 from 54.2 in October. Any reading above 50 indicates growth.
- Work is resuming at the Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors. A more than week-long strike has been settled after crippling the nation's busiest container port complex.
- If you have "deep pockets," Starbucks hopes it has a good suggestion for your holiday gift list. It is offering a $450 gift card made of stainless steel.
Read more business stories on the Back To Business page.
