AP - Laurel Ranticelli considered driving 40 miles round-trip to take education classes at the University of Massachusetts campus in Amherst. Then she realized she could take the same courses from her computer at home and save on fuel costs.

Reuters - Bank of America Corp Chief Executive Kenneth Lewis has offered a gloomy outlook for U.S. consumer and business sentiment, saying some people may feel as if the economy is in recession for the next year.

Reuters - Oil handed back early gains to stand below $136 a barrel on Wednesday as U.S. government data showed an unexpected increase in gasoline stocks, overshadowing a larger-than-expected fall in crude inventories.

Reuters - Stocks rose in another turbulent session on Tuesday as a pullback in oil prices eased worries about consumer and business spending, while financial shares gained after the Fed chairman said he may keep open a lifeline for banks.

Reuters - U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said on Tuesday that home foreclosure starts may hit 2.5 million this year, many of them the borrowers' own fault for taking out loans they couldn't afford.

AP - The Federal Reserve will issue new rules next week aimed at protecting future homebuyers from dubious lending practices, its most sweeping response to a housing crisis that has propelled foreclosures to record highs.

Reuters - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Tuesday the U.S. central bank might keep open a lifeline to financial firms, while the latest data showed distress in the housing and retail sectors continues.

AFP - The dollar gained against other world currencies Tuesday in a move traders attributed to remarks by US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke who indicated more could be done to help US banks weather a lingering credit crunch.

AP - Wall Street finished sharply higher Tuesday as oil prices dropped for the second straight day and investors were encouraged by the possibility of more help for the ailing financial system. The Dow Jones industrials gained more than 150 points, and all the major indexes were up more than 1 percent.