Business Highlights

The Associated Press

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Weak job growth makes bold Fed action more likely

WASHINGTON (AP) ⿿ U.S. employers added 96,000 jobs in August, a tepid figure that points to the economy's persistent weakness.

The unemployment rate fell to 8.1 percent from 8.3 percent in July. That was because more people gave up looking for jobs. People out of work are counted as unemployed only if they're looking for a job.

The sluggish job growth could slow the momentum President Barack Obama hoped to gain from his speech Thursday night at the Democratic National Convention.

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Soup's On: Campbell Soup looks beyond iconic cans

CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) ⿿ If your lunch still consists of a bowl of Campbell's tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich, chances are you grew up using a typewriter.

Younger generations of Americans have moved on from Campbell's condensed chicken noodle and tomato soups in search of heartier varieties with more sophisticated flavors. Now, the world's largest soup company is moving to do the same.

Campbell Soup Co. last year began a quest that led executives to a diverse group of cities including Portland, Ore., and London to figure out how to make soups that appeal to younger, finicky customers. In the year ahead, the 143-year-old company plans to roll out 50 products, such as Moroccan Style Chicken and Spicy Chorizo. The ingredients may surprise those used to a plain bowl of chicken soup: tomatillos, coconut milk and shitake mushrooms.

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Coca-Cola's newest drink is just a few drops

NEW YORK (AP) ⿿ Coca-Cola's newest drink won't come in a bottle or a can. And people will only need a squirt or two as they quench their thirst.

The world's largest beverage company is introducing its Dasani Drops in coming weeks, which can be squeezed into water for some on-the-spot fruity flavor. And Coca-Cola is betting that there's big potential for growth.

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