News - latimes.com

5 banks downgraded in Spain, Bankia seeks 19 billion euros in aid

By Tiffany Hsu — Fri, 25 May 2012 12:17:00 PDT

It’s not looking good for the Spanish banking system. Standard & Poor’s just slashed the credit ratings of five banks and said the country is headed into a double-dip recession. One of them, Bankia, just asked the government for 19 billion euros in aid - a roughly $23.8 billion boost.

California gasoline use rose for first time in a year in February

By Ronald D. White — Fri, 25 May 2012 11:45:00 PDT

For the first time in a year, Californians consumed more gasoline in a month than they had during the same period a year earlier, according to the State's Board of Equalization.

SpaceX completes historic docking with the space station

By W.J. Hennigan — Fri, 25 May 2012 11:31:00 PDT

U.N. nuclear agency finds more highly enriched uranium in Iran

Times Staff Writers — Fri, 25 May 2012 10:26:00 PDT

The United Nations atomic watchdog agency has found evidence at an underground bunker in Iran that may mean scientists there have moved closer to enriching uranium to the level needed to produce nuclear weapons.

Facebook stock slides as investor scrutiny continues

By Salvador Rodriguez — Fri, 25 May 2012 09:45:00 PDT

A week after Facebook became a public company, its stock is once again in a spiral and investor scrutiny is heating up.

Fast-moving New Mexico fire burns 82,000 acres

By Michael Muskal — Fri, 25 May 2012 09:02:00 PDT

Firefighters on Friday fought a fast-growing blaze in New Mexico where two smaller fires have merged into a fierce blaze covering extreme terrain that is making containment efforts difficult.

John Edwards jury deliberates into sixth day

By David Zucchino — Fri, 25 May 2012 08:50:00 PDT

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Jurors in the John Edwards campaign finance trial began a sixth day of deliberations Friday, a day after requesting 20 exhibits involving payments from one of two wealthy benefactors at the heart of the case.

SpaceX capsule captured by space station crew in historic mission

By W.J. Hennigan — Fri, 25 May 2012 07:23:00 PDT

For the first time, a cargo-carrying spacecraft made by a private company arrived at the International Space Station.

Facebook's stock debut shows not all investors are equal

By Andrew Tangel, Los Angeles Times — Fri, 25 May 2012 05:00:00 PDT

Distrust of the stock market sharpens as word spreads that big investors and wealthy clients of Wall Street giants had received warnings about Facebook that smaller investors had not.

NEW YORK —Facebook Inc.'s bungled stock-market debut made it clear that big money still rules Wall Street. But this time, the small money got a look at how Wall Street really works — and that could spell trouble for the financial industry.

Europe debt crisis dragging world economies down

By Don Lee and Henry Chu, Los Angeles Times — Fri, 25 May 2012 05:00:00 PDT

New data show the Eurozone woes intensifying a global slowdown, with signs that even Germany, China and other pillars of growth are in trouble.

WASHINGTON — The Eurozone debt crisis is intensifying a global slowdown, with new signs that even powerhouse Germany may be faltering, adding to worries about China and other major pillars of economic growth.