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NEW YORK (Reuters) – Stocks rose while the Nasdaq turned slightly positive on Tuesday after the Federal Open Market Committee’s minutes said some Fed officials were ready to provide more easing monetary policy easing if the recovery was too sluggish to cut the nation’s unemployment rate.

In the minutes of their June meeting, other Fed officials disagreed and said that if recent increases in inflation do not moderate, the Fed should consider tightening policy sooner than expected.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 60.17 points, or 0.48 percent, at 12,565.93. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index was up 7.19 points, or 0.54 percent, at 1,326.68. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 3.96 points, or 0.14 percent, at 2,806.58.

(Reporting by Ryan Vlastelica; Editing by Jan Paschal)

SANATOGA – For the second time within 20 months, a car dealership located at the heart of the Sanatoga village business district, 2148 E. High St., has closed due to what its owners said were “economic” conditions.

The Driven Autoplex officially closed 17 days ago, on June 24, according to notices posted on glass doors at all three entrances to its showroom. “We appreciate all of our customer support, but, sadly, for economic reasons, we are closing for business,” the printed notice announced.

Similar wording used back in October 2008, on notices very similar to the ones taped up by Driven Autoplex, was used to announce the closing of its predecessor at the same location, the Norco Auto Group.

The Driven Autoplex website is no longer available online. On its LinkedIn page, however, the company said it served “the Pottstown region and neighboring Philadelphia, Lancaster and Allentown, with quality used cars and trucks … something for every taste, and every need.” It also said it provided “a full line of services … from auto repair performed by expert mechanics, to car loan assistance.

Click here to read more or visit The Sanatoga Post on our Town Square.

AP Photo Renita Manny Williamson, a former Army reservist listens as Mississippi Department of Employment Security representative Tuskie Sanders. right, suggests ways to improve a job application letter at a state employment center in Jackson, Miss., Thursday.

AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON — Hiring slowed to a near-standstill last month, raising doubts that the economy will rebound in the second half of the year.

The report baffled economists who had predicted much stronger job creation. And it escalated a debate in Washington over how to spur hiring and energize the economy while also cutting federal spending.

Just 18,000 net jobs were created in June, the fewest in nine months. The unemployment rate rose to 9.2 percent, the highest rate of the year, the Labor Department said Friday.

Stocks plunged after the report was released, although the market recovered some losses in late-afternoon trading. The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 62 points for the day. B

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Facebook officials introduced to the world on Wednesday their concept of ‘video chatting,’ melding Facebook and Skype.

Now that Facebook partnered with Skype, video chatting with any one of your Facebook friends is now one click away if you have a webcam.

WSBT’s Colleen Ferreira shows us how to use this new feature. Click on: HOW TO USE NEW FACEBOOK/SKYPE FEATURE

It is very important to do some research and learn about student loans before signing up for one.  Knowing the definitions of the terms used and understanding the conditions of the loan will help you choose the correct loan for your needs.  Signing a long term financial product that you do not fully understand is a recipe for disaster.

A student loan is an expensive financial product.  Depending on the school the student is attending and the length of time they are in school, the eventual cost of the loan can be more than $30,000, not including interest charges and loan fees.  Many of the people searching for student loans do not have much financial knowledge because they are fresh out of high school or focused their employment in other areas to take care of their families.  Unfortunately, this means that many people make the wrong decisions about what student loan to sign up for through ignorance.

T he amount of money that will be needed to complete your chosen course of study should be the first thing considered when deciding on a student loan product.  You do not want to have multiple loans with different repayment dates because it increases the chances of triggering fees and penalties for missed payments.  The amount borrowed should take into consideration all of the expenses the borrower will have while they are pursuing higher education, including tuition, books, meals, housing, and incidentals, along with the amount of money contributed by family members or the student’s employment.

It is important to remember that every dollar borrowed using a student loan will incur interest, dramatically increasing the amount to be repaid to the lender.  Different lenders will offer different interest rates for the student loans they extend, so it may be beneficial to obtain several different quotes to see which lender has the best student loan rates.  A difference of a single percentage point in the interest rate for the loan can save you thousands of dollars over the life of the loan.

The repayment terms of the loan are something else that should be considered before deciding which lender to sign with.  Some student loans have generous repayment terms that give the student plenty of time after graduating to find a job before beginning to repay the loan.  Other loans have terms that dictate a different time period for repayment that may pressure the student into accepting any employment position offered so that they will not default on the loan.  Attempting to pay off the student loan as quickly as possible will save you money in interest charges and be reflected positively in your credit history.

Once you’ve come up with a business idea (the first step to starting a small business), it’s time to write a business plan.

This is the step to starting a business that many people like to try to avoid or shortcut, but it’s one of the most important steps of all.

When you write a business plan, you:

So why do some people try to avoid writing one? Laziness, I think. It’s a lot of work to write a business plan. However, if you want to start a successful small business, it’s work that’s absolutely vital.

And be aware, too, that you don’t have to work all the way through a full-blown business plan if all you want to do is see if a particular business idea is worth exploring further.

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