Business Highlights

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — European Central Bank launched an unexpectedly broad array of stimulus measures Thursday aimed at boosting a modest economic recovery in the 19 countries that use the euro and nudging up dangerously low inflation.

The steps, which ranged from interest rate cuts to cheap loans to banks, included several measures many analysts hadn't anticipated, such as expanding its monthly bond-buying stimulus program to include corporate bonds.

The ECB, the monetary authority for the euro countries, is struggling to raise inflation from a worryingly low annual rate of minus 0.2 percent toward its goal of just under 2 percent, considered healthiest for the economy.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment aid fell last week to the lowest level since October, evidence that employers are confident enough in the economy to hold onto their staffs.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans' household wealth jumped in the final three months of last year, pushed higher by rising stock prices and greater home values.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate Banking Committee on Thursday approved the long-stalled nomination of Adam Szubin to a key Treasury Department post responsible for leading the battle against terrorism and financial crimes.

VIENNA (AP) — Maria Sharapova's racket supplier became the first main sponsor to publicly back the tennis champion after she admitted to failing a doping test.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Yahoo set up a battle for control of its board by appointing two directors in a move that might agitate an activist shareholder, who has considered leading an investor mutiny to oust CEO Marissa Mayer unless she bows to demands to sell the company's Internet operations.

The decision announced Thursday increases the likelihood that the unhappy shareholder, Starboard Value, will nominate an opposing slate to run against Yahoo's board of nine directors in a proxy fight.

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