U.S. businesses reduced their inventories at the fastest pace on record in August even as sales marched higher, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. Paced by a large draw-down in autos, business inventories fell 1.5%, matching the largest percentage decline ever recorded in the 17-year his...

Britons paid down mortgage debt at a record pace in the first three months of the year as the recession encouraged people to curb borrowing. Individuals added to their housing equity for a fourth quarter, paying in a net 8.1 billion pounds ($13.2 billion), which was the most since records began i...