Wall St up as earnings season begins
Wall Street stocks were higher on Tuesday amid light volume as investors drew breath before the the start of the third quarter earnings season.

Economists cut 2008 forecasts for U.S. growth
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. economists have chopped their forecasts for 2008 economic growth for a third straight month, saying the housing slump will be deeper and last longer than earlier expected, a survey released on Wednesday showed.

AP Poll: More see economy as top problem
WASHINGTON - A growing number of people say the economy is the nation’s top problem, with the less educated among the most worried, an Associated Press-Ipsos poll showed Tuesday.

Mortgage applications climbed last week: MBA
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Demand for applications to purchase U.S. homes and refinance existing mortgages rose last week, after total loan requests fell the prior two weeks, an industry trade group said on Wednesday.

The Great Tech Worker Divide
Is there really a labor shortage, or are technology companies lobbying Congress for more visas and green cards simply to avoid paying Americans better wages?

IMF concerned with global credit squeeze
WASHINGTON - The recent global credit squeeze caused by the meltdown of risky U.S. mortgage loans may test the ability of the world’s economy to keep expanding, the International Monetary Fund said Wednesday.