Tobacco companies are urging a federal judge to reject the government's proposed industry-financed corrective statements, calling them “forced public confessions.”

Confidence among U.S. homebuilders climbed for a sixth straight month in October, adding to signs the real-estate market is healing.

A Cinemark Holdings Inc. unit was accused in another lawsuit of failing to take security precautions before the July 20 theater shooting in Aurora, Colo., that left 12 people dead.

The King County Council and the Seattle City Council gave their final approval Monday to an agreement to build a $490 million basketball and hockey arena in the city, despite the threat of a lawsuit from longshore workers.

(Bloomberg) -- California was sued by the Sierra Club and other groups seeking to block approval of new oil and gas wells because regulators have allegedly failed to consider or evaluate the risks of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.

In the latest effort to beat Amazon.com at its game, Target says that for the first time it will match prices that customers find on identical products at select online competitors this holiday season.

Intel Corp., the world's largest chipmaker, said net income fell 14 percent from last year in the latest quarter, and it's looking at tough conditions in the new quarter.

American manufacturers churned out more appliances, clothing and construction supplies in September, indicating a mainstay of the early part of the economic expansion is regaining its footing.

NEW YORK — In picking Michael Corbat to take over as CEO of Citigroup, the board of directors chose a low-profile veteran of the bank — a sharp contrast to Vikram Pandit, his suddenly departed predecessor.

A St. Louis suburb can enforce a funeral protest ordinance aimed at preventing picketing by an anti-gay Kansas church, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.

The Louisiana Supreme Court resolved a racially-tinged power struggle inside its own ranks, ruling Tuesday that Bernette Johnson should be the state's first black chief justice.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration ignored research showing marijuana had legitimate medical uses when it rejected efforts to reclassify the drug as a less harmful substance last year, a lawyer for medical marijuana backers told a federal appeals court.

IBM's third-quarter earnings held steady, despite the economic jitters that contributed to a steeper decline in revenue than Wall Street anticipated.

Mattel says that cost cuts and higher revenue from toys including Monster High dolls and Fisher-Price helped send net income up 22 percent in the third quarter, providing a bit of early holiday cheer for the largest U.S. toy maker.

Investors voiced their frustration by voting this spring to reject Pandit's pay package for 2011, which was valued at $15 million _ roughly in line with most of his counterparts -- and included an additional $10 million in retention pay due to him in 2013 if he stayed on as CEO. Pandit received none of the retention money, a bank spokeswoman said.

The Coca-Cola Co. has a formula for growth in the volatile economic climate: sell more of its drinks in emerging markets and evolve its stable of products at home, where concerns over sugary drinks are intensifying.

to its longtime manufacturing partners.

A judge has reversed his decision about a Maine prostitution case, ruling that addresses and other identifying information can now be released for men charged with paying for sex with a fitness instructor.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Yahoo! Inc. Chief Executive Officer Marissa Mayer named Google Inc. executive Henrique de Castro as operating chief, picking a deputy from her former employer to help revive growth at a Web company beset by sagging sales.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Kroger Co., the largest U.S. grocery-store chain, gained the most in four months after raising its forecast for long-term profit growth as it increases store openings.

More than 56 million Americans on Social Security will get raises averaging $19 a month come January, one of the smallest hikes since automatic adjustments for inflation were adopted in 1975, the government announced Tuesday.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Goldman Sachs Group Inc., the fifth- biggest U.S. bank by assets, reported profit that beat analysts’ estimates on higher underwriting fees and a jump in the value of the firm’s own investments.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Comision Federal de Electricidad, Latin America’s largest utility by revenue, awarded a contract to build and operate a 530-kilometer (329 mile) natural gas pipeline to Sempra Energy.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- UnitedHealth Group Inc., the biggest U.S. health insurer, raised its 2012 profit forecast as enrollment in its Medicare and Medicaid plans surged in the third quarter and medical costs stayed stable.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Supreme Court gave President Barack Obama’s campaign a legal victory in the pivotal state of Ohio today, backing early-voting rights for the weekend before the Nov. 6 election.

(Bloomberg) -- Buying a house in the United Kingdom is considered risky by consumers as a consequence of house prices falling, Adrian Coles, director general of the Building Societies Association told the House of Commons Treasury Committee today.

The American Civil Liberties Union accused Morgan Stanley of violating civil rights laws by encouraging a lender to push more expensive and risky mortgages on black neighborhoods in Detroit.

Apple Inc. has sent out invites for an event next Tuesday, where it's expected to announce the release of a smaller iPad.

The remaining structures form a patchwork amid vacant lots, where once there were row upon row of houses built for New Jersey’s returning World War II veterans and their growing families.

(Bloomberg) -- Marriott International Inc. (Nasdaq: MAR), the largest publicly traded U.S. hotel chain, sued the owner of the Eden Roc Renaissance Hotel in Miami Beach over accusations it attempted a hostile takeover of the hotel.

The Supreme Court sided with Democrats on Tuesday in refusing to block a decision over disputed early voting days in the battleground state of Ohio, giving President Barack Obama's campaign a victory three weeks before the election.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Oil fluctuated in New York on projections that U.S. crude stockpiles climbed for a second week and as two German lawmakers said the country is open to Spain seeking a precautionary credit line.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama has put $5 billion in taxpayer money behind his goal of having 1 million electric cars on U.S. roads by 2015. The Republican presidential ticket says it’s money wasted on “losers.”

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- A gauge of U.S. corporate credit risk fell to the lowest in almost four weeks before of a report expected to show U.S. industrial production expanded in September.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Germany’s bonds fell, pushing 10- year yields to the highest level in three weeks, after two senior coalition lawmakers said the nation was open to Spain seeking a precautionary credit line from Europe’s rescue fund.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- The cost of living in the U.S. rose in September for a second month, reflecting a jump in energy expenses that failed to trickle through to other goods and services.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Thieves stole seven paintings, including works by Pablo Picasso and Claude Monet, from the Kunsthal museum in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, police said.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Egypt hopes to reach a preliminary accord with the International Monetary Fund on its economic and social program by the end of the month, paving the way for a $4.8 billion loan, Finance Minister Momtaz El-Saieed said.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- In the Palestinian city of Ramallah, protesters thronged the streets this month shouting “feed my children” after the government once again failed to pay 170,000 civil servants their monthly salaries on time.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. stock-index futures advanced as investors awaited Federal Reserve data that may show industrial production increased last month.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. crop prices may rebound from recent lows as demand outpaces available supplies, said Mike O’Dea, a risk management consultant at INTL FCStone Inc.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Wells Fargo & Co., the biggest U.S. home lender, is restructuring sales and trading operations to form a new markets division at its investment bank as the firm challenges more established Wall Street rivals.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Bank debt is the safest relative to corporate bonds in almost 16 months amid confidence Europe’s political leaders will step up efforts to end the region’s crisis when they meet this week.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Goldman Sachs Group Inc., the fifth- biggest U.S. bank by assets, set aside almost $11 billion to pay employees in the first nine months of the year, up 10 percent from the same period in 2011 as revenue climbed.

Confidence among U.S. homebuilders remains at its highest level in six years, reflecting improved optimism over the strengthening housing market this year and a pickup in visits by prospective buyers to builders' communities.

Citigroup isn't as enthusiastic as its peers about a comeback in the housing market.

Mounting hopes over the U.S. economic recovery bolstered markets for a second day on Tuesday and helped push the euro back above $1.30.

Diebold Inc. on Tuesday cut its full-year net income and revenue predictions and issued a lower-than-expected guidance for the third quarter, sending its shares tumbling.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Sprint Nextel Corp., which agreed to sell a 70 percent stake to Softbank Corp. for $20.1 billion, has no immediate plans to take over Clearwire Corp., said people with direct knowledge of the situation.

It's not all hippies backing November's marijuana legalization votes in Colorado, Oregon and Washington.

to it being shaped like a giant castle.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp. will sell its first computer, a device called Surface RT, for as little as $499 as the software maker pushes into the tablet market dominated by Apple Inc.’s iPad.

Forest Laboratories Inc. again cut its annual net income guidance and lowered its sales estimates Tuesday, citing lower sales of its Alzheimer's disease drug Namenda and other products along with greater expenses and higher taxes.

Propane company AmeriGas Partners LP on Tuesday predicted net income for its current fiscal year that is above Wall Street expectations, if this winter has “normal” weather.

Oct. 17 (Bloomberg) -- The slowdown in China’s economy isn’t making it any easier for Liu Fengling to hire 10 experienced welders this year for his heating-equipment maker.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- It isn’t every day that the finance minister of a major nation mentions a rap star when talking up his economy. But then South Korea isn’t your average economy and Psy isn’t your usual entertainer.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- How should New York City assign students to schools? How should young doctors be matched with residencies? How should lifesaving kidneys be allocated to desperate patients?

A federal judge on Monday dismissed a case filed by two black men who claimed ABC's “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” discriminated against casting participants of color.

Oct. 15 (Bloomberg) -- W.L. Gore & Associates Inc., the maker of waterproof Gore-Tex fabric, asked a judge to punish one of its former top scientists, claiming he’s using company secrets to start his own business in violation of a court order.

The Department of Justice said Monday that a unit of CVS Caremark Corp. has agreed to pay $5.25 million to settle allegations that it reported false information on prescription drug prices to the government's Medicare program.

The founders of the studio behind “Shrek,” “Madagascar” and “Kung Fu Panda” are donating $90 million to a Hollywood charity that offers support to seniors and health services for members of the entertainment industry.

Shares of WD-40 Co. tumbled on Tuesday after the maker of spray lubricant and cleaning products reported disappointing quarterly results and a sharp decline in sales to European customers.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Comision Federal de Electricidad, Mexico’s state-owned power company, awarded a contract to build and operate a natural-gas pipeline to Sempra Energy.

Microsoft has bought online storage service StorSimple as part of its effort to adapt to shifting technology trends.

Oil prices wavered between small gains and losses Tuesday, as traders mulled mixed data about the nation's slowly recovering economy.

Medical device maker Stryker Corp. said Tuesday that it reached a deal to buy privately held Surpass Medical Ltd. for $100 million in cash, plus up to $35 million in milestone payments.

Kythera Biopharmaceuticals Inc. said Tuesday that it has completed its initial public offering of 5.1 million shares.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Facebook Inc., operator of the world’s largest social network, is bolstering efforts to make its services more secure with seven new partners and new tools for mobile devices.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney called the bankruptcy filing by battery maker A123 Systems Inc., which received a $249.1 million U.S. grant, an example of President Barack Obama’s failed green-energy policy.

The Coca-Cola Co. and Sanofi are partnering to launch a line of “beauty drinks” in France.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Coca-Cola Co., the world’s largest soft-drink maker, reported a 3.9 percent increase in third- quarter profit as sales volumes in Europe improved.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- International Business Machines Corp., the biggest computer-services company, reported third- quarter revenue that fell short of estimates as currency fluctuations and slow hardware sales crimped results.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. fell the most in 4 1/2 years after U.S. regulators raised concerns about abnormal growths, some harmful, linked to the company’s drug for a rare genetic disease.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- State Street Corp., the third- largest custody bank, reported third-quarter operating profit that beat analysts’ estimates as it earned higher fees for managing client money. Shares rose the most in seven months.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Intel Corp., the world’s largest semiconductor maker, forecast fourth quarter sales that beat some analysts’ estimates, signaling that a slump in demand for personal computers may abate.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Apollo Group Inc., the largest U.S. for-profit college chain, forecast revenue for fiscal 2013 that missed analysts’ estimates and said it would close campuses and cut jobs.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc. sent out invitations for what it’s calling a “special event” on Oct. 23 in San Jose, California.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- News Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rupert Murdoch said shareholders rejected a proposal to split the top two roles at the company, based on a preliminary count of votes.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Johnson & Johnson, the world’s biggest maker of health-care products, beat analysts’ earnings estimates in the third quarter on demand for new prescription medicines and medical tools acquired with the Synthes Inc. purchase. The company raised its 2012 forecast.

Wells Fargo is forming a new markets division within its investment banking business that aligns services for traders as the nation's biggest mortgage lender reckons with its bigger Wall Street counterparts.

Titan Machinery Inc. said Tuesday that it reached a deal to buy Toner's Inc., which includes three CaseIH agricultural equipment dealerships in Nebraska.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- European stocks rose as two German lawmakers said the country is open to Spain seeking a precautionary credit line from Europe’s rescue fund, and German investor confidence advanced more than expected in October. U.S. futures and Asian shares climbed.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- TiVo Inc. said it may be entitled to billions of dollars in damages should it win its patent- infringement lawsuit against Google Inc.’s Motorola Mobility unit over digital-video recording technology.

News Corp. managed to avoid rowdy protests at its annual shareholders meeting, but that didn't stop stockholders from voicing complaints about the grip founder and CEO Rupert Murdoch and his family have on the company.

The new CEO of Citigroup says the departure of Vikram Pandit doesn't mean a change of direction for the bank.

For-profit education company Apollo Group Inc. says its net income fell 60 percent in its fiscal fourth quarter, hurt by a sharp drop in enrollment at the University of Phoenix and higher costs.

CSX Corp. reported a 2 percent dip in its third-quarter profit and revenue Tuesday because the railroad delivered fewer carloads of coal and crops, and fuel surcharge revenue declined.

The PNC Financial Services Group Inc.'s net income rose solidly in the third quarter, boosted by a one-time gain from a sale of Visa shares and higher fees from corporate clients.

Goldman Sachs turned in third-quarter earnings Tuesday that easily beat analysts' estimates, but the bank's mood seemed more cautious than celebratory.

The outlook for the U.S. economy brightened a little Tuesday after reports that consumer prices stayed tame and homebuilder confidence rose to the highest level in six years.

The head of a small center-left partner in Greece's governing coalition on Tuesday ruled out new reforms demanded by bailout creditors, which he said would “crush” labor rights in the debt-crippled country.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Investors considering the planned initial share sale of OAO MegaFon have asked for valuations of between $10 billion and $11 billion for Russia’s second-largest mobile-phone operator, people familiar with the plans said.

Sonic Corp. said Tuesday that its net income rose 18 percent in its fiscal fourth quarter despite a slight drop in revenue, partly because of lower sales at company drive-in restaurants.

Netflix's Internet video subscription service is now available in Denmark and Sweden and will make its debut in two other Nordic countries this week.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Ireland’s banks need to forgive some unsustainable housing debt, John Moran, the most senior official in the Finance Ministry said, as the nation’s central bank pressured lenders to act as arrears spiral.

Gap has announced a management overhaul aimed at enabling the retailer to respond more quickly to customers' needs across the globe.

Higher gas costs drove up U.S. consumer prices in September for the second straight month. Outside energy, there was little sign of inflation.

Foreign demand for U.S. Treasury securities rose to a record level in August, further evidence that most nations see U.S. debt as a safe investment.

The pressure is on Google to deliver stellar third-quarter earnings to justify a sharp rise in its stock price during the past three months.

Johnson & Johnson says its third-quarter profit fell 7 percent as increased research and production costs offset higher sales for its medicines and medical devices.

Iraqi officials say they have begun an investigation into allegations of financial impropriety involving the longtime governor of the central bank and other senior bank officials.

Ford is recalling more than 154,000 Fiesta subcompacts to fix a problem with the side air bags.

Syrian government warplanes unleashed a barrage of airstrikes on rebel strongholds in the country's north Tuesday, causing a number of casualties, activists said.

Japanese military officials said they closely watching seven Chinese warships spotted in waters off a southern island Tuesday. It was unclear whether the ship movements were related to a territorial dispute that has prompted both countries to show off their maritime muscles.

People in China are increasingly worried about corruption, inequality and food safety, according to a survey released Tuesday that also found that about half of Chinese like American ideas about democracy.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Many stupid things have been said by people who should have known better in the month since the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- If you live in Ohio or Wisconsin and own a television, you might be under the impression that America’s main foreign enemies are the exporters of China. They’re the leading villains in political ads from both presidential nominees.

Oct. 15 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether states can demand proof of citizenship from people registering to vote, agreeing to hear an Arizona clash with nationwide implications.

The city is making a push to court Mexican travelers as part of a growing effort to lure Latin American visitors, officials announced Tuesday.

Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. welcomes Cuba’s changes to its exit permit requirements for citizens, said William Ostick, a State Department spokesman for Western Hemisphere affairs.

President Barack Obama was looking to rebound in a White House debate rematch Tuesday, promising a more aggressive charge against rival Mitt Romney to stop the Republican's gains since their first face-off two weeks ago.

Health officials are set to draw blood from hundreds of Yosemite National Park employees as part of a research project that aims to help scientists better understand a potentially deadly virus carried by deer mice that killed three park visitors and sickened six others this summer.

After years of struggling with weak sales and mounting losses, electric-car battery maker A123 Systems filed for bankruptcy protection and reached a deal to sell its automotive assets Tuesday.