Economy

Downtown Greensboro is about to get some branding gloss and expertise from Raleigh as a local entrepreneur continues to make his mark on the center city.

Western sanctions are biting, oil prices are down sharply, and the Russian currency is tanking. The government now expects the economy to shrink in 2015.

A class action lawsuit alleges Ocwen Financial, one of the nation's largest mortgage servicers, charges marked-up and illegal fees. The firm says it will vigorously defend itself against the claims.

In-store purchases on Black Friday fell this year, but online sales have seen a big increase. Easy comparison shopping and widespread free shipping have sweetened the deal for many online shoppers.

The health care law gives subsidies to those whose employers' insurance isn't affordable, but that's based on the cost of worker-only coverage. Adding family to a plan can send prices out of reach.

In the year since Colorado made recreational marijuana legal, pot has become a billion-dollar business in the state. And some growers are on a serious mission to make it legitimate and mainstream.