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Economy models haven't been big sellers in recent years, and carmakers built relatively few of them. Now supplies are tight as demand for the vehicles soars along with gas prices.

In our new feature, "Website remedies," Fortune Small Business enlists Web marketing and search-engine optimization specialists to analyze small-business Web sites in need of an overhaul. Could your site use a makeover? E-mail us at fsb_mail@timeinc.com. Plus, share your tips for improving our featured sites in our discussion forum.

For builder Rick Judson, there is no place like a town home. That's because a gamble on multifamily complexes in his hometown of Charlotte is paying off.

With commodity, fuel and insurance costs hitting record highs, small-business owners are anxious about next week's federal minimum wage hike, which will require employers in 26 states to raise their base to $6.55.

The residents of this windswept basin 100 miles from anywhere know that if they want something done, they have to do it themselves. Whether it's repairing a tractor or rejuvenating Main Street, the people here fix their own problems. So when the town's last clothing shop shuttered, forcing them to make an hourlong roundtrip for a pair of socks, they decided to fix that too.

The future for automakers is so murky that even deeply wounded GM could enter the next decade in control. But the company will have to keep a close eye on its cash.

It isn't the real world, but the top amateurs participating in the Strategy Lab Open have shown returns of 22.5% to 49% during a period in which the Dow and S&P 500 have faltered.

Microsoft, Google and Merrill Lynch miss Wall Street estimates, pushing their stocks lower in after-hours trading. The Dow closes up 207 as oil falls to $129. JPMorgan's earnings set off a second big day for financial stocks.

The drug makers appear on an MSN Money list of stocks poised for gains. Here are StockScouter's top picks.

The run on IndyMac made headlines this week, and analysts say 100 or more banks might go bust this year. Here's how to protect yourself -- and some of the banks to be wary of right now.

Are some of your customers worried about losing their homes? Take a tip from Cole Durbin, owner of Padre's Modern Mexican in Phoenix, and let them know that you're on their side.

We all like to think of ourselves as the masters of our thoughts, but our brains work in ways that leave us vulnerable to being duped, even when we know it's happening.

The maker of an array of household products will raise prices on some items, halt production of others and embrace innovation as energy prices drive up manufacturing costs.

It's easy to forget about long-term costs when you first see that fluffy tail and those big eyes. Educate yourself first, choose the right pet or breed, and learn how to reduce the expenses.

It's easy for crooks to rip you off at the cash machine, especially if you're not paying attention. And your PIN won't offer the protection you might assume it would.