AP - The primary U.S. lab for renewable energy will receive $110 million in federal stimulus funds and another $83 million will go toward wind energy and other alternative power and efficiency projects, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said Wednesday.

AP - The Fed confirmed what Wall Street has already concluded: The recession is starting to ease.

AP - Asian stocks rallied Thursday as U.S. and Japanese economic data signaled the global recession was letting up, while Taiwan's market surged after a historic agreement clearing the way for Chinese investment.

AFP - Shares in London rose slightly in opening trade Wednesday led by the banking sector and miners.

AP - World stock markets rallied Wednesday after better-than-expected U.S. data fueled hopes that the world's largest economy was showing tentative signs a recovery is imminent and fears faded — for now — over the economic impact of a possible swine flu pandemic.

AFP - Europe's main stock markets won back ground on Wednesday as investors shrugged off swine flu concerns following news of resurgent economic confidence in the recession-hit eurozone.

AFP - Time Warner announced plans on Wednesday, in documents submitted to the Securites and Exchange Commission (SEC), to spin off troubled Internet unit AOL.

AFP - Shares in London, undeterred by swine flu and bolstered by positive consumer data from the United States, surged on Wednesday after big gains in Asia.

Reuters - Oil prices climbed toward $51 per barrel on Wednesday as optimism that the U.S. recession was easing boosted markets and raised expectations of a rebound in energy demand from the world's largest consumer.

Reuters - Stocks sharply extended gains on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged and said the pace of economic contraction appears somewhat slower.