Oil Industry’s Struggles Start to Ease as Shell Reduces Debt

The oil industry’s struggle through the worst slump in a generation showed signs of easing, with Royal Dutch Shell Plc managing to reduce its record debt for the first time since the downturn began. Rising oil prices and billions in cost cuts allowed Europe’s largest energy company and fellow giant Exxon Mobil Corp. to generate enough cash to pay dividends without borrowing last quarter, while Chevron Corp. will do so this year.

Hot stuff: Mizzou professor helps invent temp-regulating mug

A University of Missouri professor hopes his invention of a new mug that maintains the coffee’s temperature longer percolates into hot sales. Columbia professor Hongbin “Bill” Ma ‘s company, ThermAvant International , and the university have a patent pending for what’s called the Lexo mug, The Columbia Missourian reported.