Ellen Simon

NEW YORK -- U.S. consumers are the gloomiest they've been since the tail end of the last prolonged recession. Inflation, sinking home values and soaring gas prices have pushed confidence to the lowest level since 1992. Consumers' view of the economic future has never been lower, raising worries that already weak consumer spending could deteriorate further.

CINCINNATI -- Kroger Co. said Tuesday that food, gas and drug discounts helped draw budget-strapped consumers for one-stop shopping, and the nation's largest traditional grocer reported profits rose 15 percent in its first quarter.

The Associated Press

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- Huntsman Corp. is suing Apollo Management and its two partners for fraud after the private equity group backed out of a deal to buy the chemicals company for $6.5 billion.

WASHINGTON -- Straddling risky economic crosscurrents, the Federal Reserve is expected to stand still this week on interest rates.

PARK CITY -- With the developer forced into bankruptcy, Hugh Smith worries about the $1 million he and a partner sunk into bare lots at Promontory, a half-built, sprawling residence club in a post-Olympic town saturated with second homes for wealthy Boomers.

Two global companies get state tax incentives to open in Utah -- The Governor's Office of Economic Development offered eBay $27.3 million in post-performance tax incentives in hopes of attracting the online auctioneer to open a new data center in Utah.

Cutting back. It's what we've been hearing about over the last few months. Airline companies and the financial industry are doing it. But are you?

Tap water is making a comeback.