Reuters - Labor groups are requesting an investigation into whether Wal-Mart Stores Inc violated federal election laws by telling employees that electing Democrats would lead to passage of legislation making it easier to unionize companies, The Wall Street Journal said citing a letter.

Reuters - Barnes & Noble Inc, the largest U.S. specialty bookseller, is unlikely to make a bid for rival Borders Group Inc, The Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the situation.

AFP - US stocks closed lower Tuesday as several major banks unveiled fresh losses reminding investors that an already lengthy credit crunch is still biting financial firms balance sheets.

Reuters - U.S. stocks slid on Wednesday as financial shares sold off for a second straight day on fresh concerns about the widening impact of the mortgage crisis on the U.S. economy's outlook.

Reuters - Oil rose nearly $4 a barrel on Wednesday after a U.S. government report showed declines in fuel and crude inventories in the world's top consumer.

Reuters - Chrysler LLC is planning a new car-based SUV that will hit showrooms in 2010, and has identified over $1 billion in non-earning assets it will sell to raise cash.

Reuters - Retail sales edged down 0.1 percent in July on a big drop at auto dealers, the government said on Wednesday in a report suggesting consumers were straining to keep spending up amid rising prices.

Reuters - U.S. and state regulators are close to reaching a settlement with multiple banks accused of selling auction-rate securities under false pretenses that would force them to repurchase billions of dollars of the now-illiquid securities at face value, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

AFP - China's retail sales rose by 23.3 percent in July from a year ago to 862.9 billion yuan (126 billion dollars), the government said Wednesday.

Reuters - CVS Caremark Corp said on Tuesday it would buy its U.S. West Coast rival Longs Drugs Stores Corp in a $2.54 billion deal that will allow it to expand in states like California and broaden the reach of its prescription services.

Reuters - JPMorgan Chase & Co said it has racked up $1.5 billion of losses so far this quarter on mortgage-linked assets, reflecting deepening turmoil in credit markets.

Reuters - The U.S. trade deficit shrank unexpectedly in June as the weak U.S. dollar helped push exports higher and overpowered record high prices for imported oil, a Commerce Department report showed on Tuesday.