# Business

US Home Prices Increase Most in 6-year Period

A measure of U.S. home prices jumped 5 percent in September compared with a year ago, the largest year-over-year increase since July 2006.

# Business

Home Solar Leasing Pumped Nearly $1 Billion into California in 2012

The number of homeowners installing solar panels leased from third parties is skyrocketing in the US, particularly in states like California with an incentive program like "One Million Solar Roofs. This week comes news that third-party-owned solar transactions have pumped more than $938 million into California's economy in 2012, a record-high annual amount equal to that of all the previous five years combined.

# Business

Still Eating Yoplait? General Mills Has Cut the Sugar by 25%

The American yogurt culture, so to speak, has greatly benefited from the overwhelming trend toward healthier Greek brands in the past decade. But, if you are still eating the more commercial sweetened types of yogurt, there is a bit of good news for you as General Mills announced they are cutting the sugar in their Yoplait Original by 25 percent.

# Business

The Corporate Pursuit of Happiness

A Stanford marketing professor is teaching her students -- and company execs with AOL, Facebook, and Adobe -- how to find and export joy. happiness class to Graduate School of Business students are clamoring to get into her happiness class at one of the country's leading business schools

# Business

Are You Happy? Ben Bernanke Wants to Know

Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said Monday that gauging happiness can be as important for measuring economic progress as determining whether inflation is low or unemployment high. Economics is also about understanding and promoting the enhancement of well-being, which is the ultimate objective of our policy decisions

# Business

US Consumer Confidence Highest In Nearly Five Years as Economy Adds 171K Jobs

In October, US consumer confidence hit the highest point since February 2008, and private sector businesses added more jobs than at any time in the last eight months. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the US economy added 171,000 jobs last month, 50,000 more than economists had expected.

# Business

Happy Employees, Culture of 'Weirdness' Equals Success for Green Products Company Method

Since Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan launched Method in 2000, to sell pretty bottles of eco-friendly soaps and cleaners in glowing pastel colors, the company has grown into a $100 million (£62.3m) company. Their company's culture of keeping it weird is a social mission that keeps employees happy. To stay focused on employee happiness and high-end innovative design is the business model.

# Business

Workers' Happiness Rubs Off on Customers, Profits

In the past five years, the financial industry has taken a drubbing with plunging profits, allegations of improper behavior, and customer backlash against rising fees. But various sources list one bank as a best place to work, and its practices may provide a blueprint to other companies on how to keep workers engaged even during tough times. Umpqua Bank is known as the world's best bank.