DailyFinance

More Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, though the winter holidays likely distorted the data for the second straight week. The Labor Department says weekly applications rose by 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted 372,000 in the week ended Dec. 29.

If you're keeping your savings in low-return but "safe" investments, this is the year you need to get your money off the sidelines and into some solid stocks. No stock is risk-free, but these 13 picks are the best we can find for novice investors looking to get their feet wet in the market.

The new year is upon us, and it's a great time to resolve to be better at managing your money in 2013 and beyond. To help you drill down on the biggest opportunities, here are 13 of the most common mistakes people make with their money.

There are plenty of investors worried about the year ahead. But even as many companies are likely to scale back, others are still expected to grow nicely in 2013. Here are five companies where analysts see revenue and earnings growing by at least 20 percent next year.

The price of oil jumped by more than a dollar on Wednesday, to above $93 a barrel, after U.S. lawmakers passed legislation to avoid a fiscal cliff that could have pushed the world's biggest economy into recession, and reduced global demand for energy.

Surveying the raft of end-of-year surveys floating around right now, it quickly becomes apparent that not only are our taxes set to rise in 2013, but the cost of a whole lot of other stuff is going up, too. The question is: How much more expensive will life get in the new year? Here are the grim statistics.

CEOs of struggling companies managed to avoid the axe and will head into 2013 with their jobs intact... for now. We decided to take stock of a few of these endangered executives to assess which ones will get through 2013 in one piece.

Most people will make a New Year's resolution to take control of their finances in 2013. But while it's a great goal, it's nearly impossible to achieve without first taking a hard look at where your money went the year before. This five-step personal financial audit is a good place to start.

As pundits and politicians rush to sew the year up into a neat little bundle, we decided to look at 2012 from a slightly different angle. Here is our list of the year's worst bets -- six developments that seemed like sure things in January, but were bust by December.

U.S. banks are ending the year with their best profits since 2006 and fewer failures than at any time since the financial crisis struck in 2008. They're helping support an economy slowed by high unemployment, flat pay, sluggish manufacturing and anxious consumers.

AOL Autos took a close look at Consumer Reports' latest roundup of the worst car value for the money. If you're in the market for a new ride in 2013, here's what you ought to avoid.

Screenwriter Delia Ephron did not have a merry online Christmas shopping experience at J. Crew. But rather than complain about the company's customer service, she turned an op-ed column in the New York Times into a wide-ranging indictment of online shopping itself. Here's why she's wrong.

SeaWorld's owner, Blackstone Group LP, will likely sell some of its stake in the deal. But the private equity firm will still own a majority of the voting power of the company's shares after the IPO, the company said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said in a letter Wednesday to congressional leaders that the department will use accounting measures to save approximately $200 billion, which could keep the government from reaching the limit for about two months.

Market leader Carnival issued disappointing guidance during last week's quarterly report. Rival Royal Caribbean is running into obstacles in financing its next mega-ship. Norwegian Cruise Line wasn't in the news, but NCL hasn't been able to complete its IPO since calling it off last year.

US home prices rose in most major cities in October compared with a year ago, pushed up by rising sales and a decline in the supply of available homes. Higher prices show the housing market is improving even as it moves into the more dormant fall and winter sales period.

The day after Christmas is probably not a great day to be hitting the mall. But there are some good sales to be found today and over the next couple of days, and in many cases they're online sales that don't require you to brave the mall. Here are a few to check out.

If Santa brought you a bunch of stuff you don't want this Christmas, you're probably itching to get to the store with the gift receipt and return it. To keep hassle to a minimum, follow these expert tips.

Christmas shoppers thronged malls and pounced on discounts but apparently spent less this year, their spirits dampened by concerns about the economy and the aftermath of shootings and storms.