Economy the focus as China political session ends
BEIJING (AP) -- Mao Zedong's grandson couldn't have put it more simply. China's biggest challenge? "Economic development," he said, as the nation's most public political meetings end with sweeping goals to expand growth - and help more Chinese enjoy it....

Economy the focus as China political session ends
BEIJING (AP) -- Mao Zedong's grandson couldn't have put it more simply. China's biggest challenge? "Economic development," he said, as the nation's most public political meetings end with sweeping goals to expand growth - and help more Chinese enjoy it....

Senators resist Obama over projects in health bill
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama says he wants projects helping specific states yanked from the health care bill Congress is writing. Democratic senators, being senators, beg to differ....

New Sen. Brown bashes Obama's `bitter' health push
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Newly arrived Republican Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts accused President Barack Obama and Democrats on Saturday of a "bitter, destructive and endless" drive to pass health overhaul legislation that Brown warned would be disastrous....

China to bid on US high-speed rail projects
BEIJING (AP) -- China plans to bid for contracts to build U.S. high-speed train lines and is stepping up exports of rail technology to Europe and Latin America, a government official said Saturday....

Yellen at Fed would likely favor low-rate policy
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama's likely choice of Janet Yellen to become vice chairman of the Federal Reserve would favor a policy that stresses low interest rates to ease unemployment over higher rates to curb inflation....

Examiner unveils Lehman accounting tricks
WASHINGTON (AP) -- An accounting gimmick called Repo 105 provided financial relief for Lehman Brothers in the months before its spectacular collapse, an autopsy of the once-venerable Wall Street house has found. The question now is whether the trickery spells legal jeopardy for executives of Lehman or its auditors Ernst & Young....

Retail sales show surprising gain in February
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Retail sales posted a surprising increase in February as consumers refused to let snowstorms stop them from stepping up purchases for everything from clothes to appliances. The improvement provided hope that the recovery from the Great Recession is gaining momentum....

Stocks end mixed after mixed economic reports
NEW YORK (AP) -- Mixed economic reports held the stock market to only modest moves Friday but gains for the week were strong....

Regulators shut banks in NY, Florida, Louisiana
NEW YORK (AP) -- Regulators on Friday shut down banks in New York, Florida and Louisiana, raising to 30 the number of failures this year of federally insured banks....

WaMu reaches settlement with JPMorgan, FDIC
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) -- Washington Mutual Inc. has tentatively resolved disputes with JPMorgan Chase & Co. and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. over some $4 billion at issue in the bank holding company's Chapter 11 bankruptcy, a WaMu attorney said Friday....