Business - latimes.com

Navy conducts first test flight of Northrop's Triton drone

By W.J. Hennigan, Los Angeles Times — Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 PDT

The successful flight could have a major effect on the drone program's future in the Southland.

Aerospace giant Northrop Grumman Corp., plagued by setbacks with its pricey high-flying spy drones, has come up with a new version for the Navy that could keep the company's unmanned aircraft assembly line in Palmdale humming.

Wall St. bucks global slump

By Andrew Tangel, Los Angeles Times — Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 PDT

U.S. stocks recover after worldwide sell-off that began in Japan.

NEW YORK — After bracing for a steep fall, Wall Street barely shrugged at a sharp sell-off in stock markets around the globe.

New California health insurance rates unveiled

By Chad Terhune, Los Angeles Times — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:59:00 PDT

Health insurance premiums for Covered California, the state-run marketplace, are lower than expected.

Amid anxiety over rising costs from the federal healthcare law, California received better-than-expected insurance rates for a new state-run marketplace, but many consumers still won't be spared from sharply higher premiums.

If this health plan is 'socialism,' we need more of it

David Lazarus — Thu, 23 May 2013 18:18:00 PDT

As Obamacare's exchanges take shape in California, true, transparent, capitalistic competition will be seen among insurance firms, going toe to toe to win consumers.

So this is what socialism looks like: Private companies competing for people's business in an open marketplace.

New home sales climb in April

By Alejandro Lazo — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:55:00 PDT

New home sales climbed strongly in April, an indication that a long-awaited building market comeback is strengthening.

Freddie Mac: Mortgage rates higher, 30-year fixed averages 3.59%

By E. Scott Reckard — Thu, 23 May 2013 10:49:00 PDT

Mortgage rates have risen for the third week in a row, with Freddie Mac's survey of lenders pegging the average 30-year fixed-rate home loan at 3.59%, up from 3.51% last week.

Initial jobless claims drop to 340,000 after one-week spike

By Jim Puzzanghera — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:13:00 PDT

WASHINGTON -- Initial unemployment claims dropped back to a level indicating moderate job growth last week after a spike the previous week raised alarms about the labor market recovery.

Twitter adds two-step verification option to help fend off hackers

By Salvador Rodriguez — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:31:00 PDT

Twitter has rolled out a two-step verification, a feature users can turn on to give themselves more protection against would-be hackers.

Jennifer Lopez, Verizon team up to launch mobile brand Viva Movil

By Andrea Chang, Los Angeles Times — Thu, 23 May 2013 05:00:00 PDT

Entertainer Jennifer Lopez partners with Verizon Wireless to launch Viva Movil, a mobile brand aimed at the fast-growing Latino population.

Jennifer Lopez: actress, singer, dancer, fashion designer, and now, mobile phone mogul.

Chevy Spark EV lease highlights electric-car price cuts

By Brian Thevenot — Thu, 23 May 2013 09:00:00 PDT

General Motors is joining the electric-car price war with a lease deal on the Chevrolet Spark EV at $199 a month.