Obama to pitch trio of economic proposals in Ohio (AP)

AP - President Barack Obama is voicing unwavering opposition to extending Bush-era tax breaks for the nation's wealthiest families even for a year or two, drawing a sharp contrast with Republicans eight weeks before the November elections.

Stocks inch higher as European debt worries ease (AP)

AP - Stocks rose slightly Wednesday as investors tried to brush off fresh worries about the health of European banks.

Wall Street opens up with Europe (Reuters)

Reuters - Stocks rose at the open on Wednesday, tracking European stocks up and ahead of Federal Reserve comments on the state of the economy.

Mortgage lending down 1.5 pct as rates inch up (AP)

AP - Applications for home loans dipped last week as mortgage rates ticked up slightly from the lowest level in decades.

German exports slightly lower on month in July (AP)

AP - German exports dipped by 1.5 percent in July compared with the previous month but were still up a strong 18.7 percent over the same month last year, official data showed Wednesday.

Obama to challenge Republican foes on economy (AFP)

AFP - US President Barack Obama Wednesday threw down the gauntlet to Republicans on the economy, as the lagging recovery and crippling unemployment threaten Democrats with a mid-term election meltdown.

PriceSmart's revenue increase in August (AP)

AP - PriceSmart Inc.'s revenue climbed in August as customers continued to seek bargains on basic items at the company's warehouse clubs amid a soft economy.

Obama pitches road spending, tax incentives in Ohio (Reuters)

Reuters - President Barack Obama will push billions of dollars in new business tax incentives and spending on big construction projects on Wednesday, as he tries to convince a balky Congress to pass measures intended to spur the economy and create jobs.

World stocks drop as investors seek safety (AFP)

AFP - World stock markets fell on Wednesday as investors sought safety amid fresh worries about the fragile economic recovery, helping propel the yen to a 15-year high against the dollar, analysts said.

Republican leader urges 2-year tax rate freeze (Reuters)

Reuters - House of Representatives Republican leader John Boehner called on Wednesday for a two-year freeze on all current U.S. tax rates, including Bush-era tax cuts for the rich set to expire at the end of this year.

GOP proposes renewing tax cuts, freezing spending (AP)

AP - House Republican Leader John Boehner onWednesday proposed a two-year freeze on all tax rates and a cut in government spending to the levels of 2008, before a deep recession took hold of the economy.

China-U.S. ties improving, Hu tells White House team (Reuters)

Reuters - China and the United States said on Wednesday that their sometimes rocky relationship is sounder after talks in Beijing, with both putting an optimistic face on ties that have been jolted by economic and security tensions.

Home buying up in week, but down 40 percent in year (Reuters)

Reuters - Americans applied to buy homes at the highest pace last week since May, but more than 8 of every 10 loan requests was for a refinancing, Mortgage Bankers Association data show on Wednesday.

Home buying up in week, but down 40 percent in year (Reuters)

Reuters - Americans applied to buy homes at the highest pace last week since May, but more than 8 of every 10 loan requests was for a refinancing, Mortgage Bankers Association data show on Wednesday.

World stocks down on Europe debt fear, yen surge (AP)

AP - World stock markets mostly slipped Wednesday amid new concerns about European banks' exposure to risky debt and as the yen's rise to a fresh 15-year high against the dollar weighed on Asian exporters.

Japan's intervention hints fail to halt yen (Reuters)

Reuters - Japan's finance minister acknowledged currency intervention is an option for the first time since the yen's 14 percent rise since May, and a candidate to become prime minister sanctioned solo intervention as the yen jumped to a 15-year high versus the dollar.

Europe bank fears hit shares (Reuters)

Reuters - Asian stocks fell on Wednesday, led by shares in Japan's big exporters as a rise in the yen to a new 15-year high threatened to erode their overseas earnings.

Japan machinery orders up 8.8 percent in July (AP)

AP - Japan's machinery orders, a key gauge of future business investment, rose the most in seven months, a sign that companies are more confident in the economic recovery.

Reid blames Bush, Wall Street for sick economy (AP)

AP - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid knows who's to blame for the sickly economy. And it's not him.

US provides relief for floods in Guatemala (AFP)

AFP - The United States said Tuesday it has requested 50,000 dollars in emergency aid for flood-hit Guatemala and reprogrammed another 4.38 million dollars in economic aid for recovery efforts.

Summary Box: Obama's tax-break plan no fast fix (AP)

AP - NO QUICK CURE: Even if they were enacted soon, President Barack Obama's proposed tax breaks for businesses would hardly be a fast fix to bolster hiring or the economy, analysts say.

Summary Box: Europe worries send stocks lower (AP)

AP - EUROPE AGAIN: Reports raising concerns about European banks sent stocks lower in Europe, and the U.S. followed suit. The worries are over how much risky government debt is being held on their books.

Interest rates dip at weekly Treasury auction (AP)

AP - Interest rates on short-term Treasury bills fell in Tuesday's auction to the lowest levels since late June.

A look at economic developments around the globe (AP)

AP - A look at economic developments and activity in major stock markets around the world Tuesday:

A look at economic developments around the globe (AP)

AP - A look at economic developments and activity in major stock markets around the world Tuesday:

Obama's tax-break plan is seen as no quick cure (AP)

AP - Even if they were enacted soon, President Barack Obama's proposed tax breaks for businesses would hardly be a quick fix to rejuvenate hiring or the economy, analysts say.

How the major stock indexes fared Tuesday (AP)

AP - Stocks closed lower Tuesday following new worries about Europe's debt problems. News reports said European banks may have more risky government debt on their books than was disclosed during "stress tests" earlier this year. That could mean fees from regulators and more capital-raising by the banks to bolster their balance sheets.

Grim outlook for Democrats puts House up for grabs (AP)

AP - Their control of the House in peril, Democrats are playing defense all across the country. Disgruntled voters, a sluggish economy and vanishing enthusiasm for President Barack Obama have put 75 seats or more - the vast majority held by Democrats - at risk of changing hands.

Summary Box: Worried investors turn to gold (AP)

AP - SEEKING SAFETY: Gold settled at a record high Tuesday as more worries resurfaced about European banks and the global economy.

Gold settles at record high amid economic fears (AP)

AP - Gold prices settled at a record high Tuesday following renewed worries about European banks and the global economy.

Bullish or Bearish? The World's Greatest Investors Debate. (The Motley Fool)

The Motley Fool - The bears and bulls were battling as ferociously as ever over the past month. Let's dive right into the debate, through the words of some of the world's greatest investors.

NYSE Euronext in joint venture on carbon trading (AP)

AP - NYSE Euronext said Tuesday it plans to combine its European carbon trading unit with a U.S. firm to expand its environmental energy business.

SEC probes "quote stuffing" practices: Schapiro (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. regulators are probing certain practices around "quote stuffing," where large numbers of rapid-fire stock orders are placed and canceled almost immediately, Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Mary Schapiro said on Tuesday.

Small investors quitting Wall Street: SEC boss (AFP)

AFP - The head of the US stock market watchdog said on Tuesday that individual investors have been turning away from equities since a May crash that exposed weaknesses in Wall Street's trading structure.

Small investors quitting Wall Street: SEC boss (AFP)

AFP - The head of the US stock market watchdog said on Tuesday that individual investors have been turning away from equities since a May crash that exposed weaknesses in Wall Street's trading structure.

FTSE 100 closes lower (AFP)

AFP - London shares declined on Tuesday with weaknesses in the US market taking effect as Wall Street traders returned from a long holiday weekend.

SEC's Schapiro: "Flash crash" report expected by month end (Reuters)

Reuters - The top U.S. securities regulator said on Tuesday that the follow-up report on what might have caused the May "flash crash" is expected by the end of September.

NYSE August US equity trading volume up 30 percent (AP)

AP - NYSE Euronext said Tuesday the trading volume for equity and derivative produces rose significantly in August, pushed up by a spike in U.S. equity trading.

European stocks fall, miners down on Australia vote (AFP)

AFP - Europe's main stock markets slid on Tuesday after a run of gains, with miners hit by the electoral result in Australia ahead of Wall Street's reopening after a US public holiday, traders said.

AIG seeks Sept 21 approval for AIA IPO: sources (Reuters)

Reuters - American International Group Inc plans to seek Hong Kong listing committee approval on September 21, to list its Asian life insurance unit, aiming to raise about $15 billion, two sources with direct knowledge of the deal said on Tuesday.