Business and Finance
CORPORATE EARNINGS rose 5% in the third quarter, but the pace of growth was the slowest in more than two years. The improvement surprised some analysts and came despite weaker sales gains and intense global competition. The trend toward slowed growth has ramifications for stock markets, which have derived considerable strength in recent periods from earnings momentum.</br></br>---</br></br>Lockheed Martin plans to develop an advanced Atlas rocket to launch large commercial satellites. Separately, senior U.S. officials tentatively have approved the use of as many as 22 Ukrainian-made Zenit rockets for U.S.-built commercial satellites, supporting a venture led by Boeing.</br></br>---</br></br>Unemployment fell to a remarkably low 5.5% in October, but other data in the report were more pessimistic. The figures are the latest sign that the economy is growing sluggishly with little inflation threat, analysts said.