Economy & Business

"WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is retreating from previous demands of strong international environmental protections in order to reach agreement on a sweeping Pacific trade deal that is a pillar of President Obama’s strategic shift to Asia, according to documents obtained by WikiLeaks, environmentalists and people close to the contentious trade talks."

"FirstEnergy, one of the country’s largest electric companies, has agreed to work toward reducing its carbon emissions in response to pressure from shareholders including New York State and Connecticut pension funds, New York Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said on Tuesday."

"A multinational banking giant is backing away from a proposal to build the West Coast’s biggest coal export project near Bellingham, Washington."

"More analysts are urging investors to buy shares in Vestas Wind Systems A/S (VWS) than at any time since October 2010 after the stock soared more than 400 percent over the past 12 months."

"The Department of Energy has reached a deal with environmental and business groups on new energy efficiency standards for cable and satellite television boxes."

"As the rest of the world prepares to toast the new year, the wind industry is hard at work on its own year-end tradition, rushing to make sure projects qualify for an important subsidy before it is set to vanish at the stroke of midnight on Tuesday."

"The first day's trading in what will be by far the largest carbon market in China kicked off briskly yesterday with pricing in line with expectations, as Beijing continues its drive to slow its rapid growth of heat-trapping emissions."

"U.S. gasoline pump prices are poised to reach their lowest level this year as supply expands to a two-decade seasonal high and winter curbs demand."

"U.S. gasoline pump prices are poised to reach their lowest level this year as supply expands to a two-decade seasonal high and winter curbs demand."