The government is expected to take over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in a monumental move designed to protect the mortgage market from the failure of the two companies, which together hold or guarantee half of the nation's mortgage debt.

Silver State bank was shut down Friday by regulators because of losses on soured loans, mainly in real estate. Republican presidential nominee John McCain's son, Andrew, sat on the bank's board from February to July 2008.

Boeing Co. machinists walked out on strike Saturday after contract talks arbitrated by a federal mediator failed to produce an agreement.

It's the season for Alaskans to be rewarded just for living here and this year's take is extra sweet: $3,269, a record share of the state's oil wealth combined with a special cash payout to help with stratospheric energy prices.

Troubled by the Bear Stearns debacle, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan is advocating a new way of dealing with government bailouts of companies whose sudden collapse could wreak havoc on the country's economic and financial stability.

The nation's unemployment rate zoomed to a five-year high of 6.1 percent in August as employers slashed 84,000 jobs, dramatic proof of the mounting damage a deeply troubled economy is inflicting on workers and businesses alike.

Federal aviation officials said they are investigating 17 cases in which 11 air carriers did not comply with government safety directives.

Many of the nation's retailers struggled with a sluggish back-to-school season, though Wal-Mart posted higher August sales as shoppers focused on buying essentials amid worries about high gas and food prices.

The number of newly laid off workers seeking unemployment benefits jumped unexpectedly last week, the U.S. government said, reversing three weeks of declines. The increase indicates that the slowing economy is taking its toll on the job market.

Wall Street plunged sending the Dow Jones industrials down more than 340 points as retailers and the Labor Department added to the mountain of dismal economic news that has all but dashed investors' hopes for a late-year recovery.

Boeing Co. aircraft assembly workers have voted overwhelming to reject the company's contract offer and strike for an unprecedented second time in three years, but they're giving management 48 hours to strike a new deal.

Ford Motor Co. said its U.S. sales fell 26.5 percent in August, as the struggling automaker's results - even worse than July's dismal figures - showed that the U.S. auto sales slump may not have bottomed out.

The nation struggled with slow economic growth and still-high prices that are weighing on consumers and businesses alike as the race for the White House kicks into high gear.

Sony says it is recalling 440,000 Vaio laptop computers worldwide due to a wiring flaw that could cause overheating.

In a bid to pull hesitant shoppers into their stores, retailers are slashing prices on everything from jeans to dinnerware. But those fat discounts will likely come at a big cost for the companies.

The Coca-Cola Co., the world's biggest beverage company, moved to expand its operations in the fast-growing Chinese market Wednesday with a $2.5 billion bid for major juicemaker China Huiyuan Juice Group Ltd.

Russia and Uzbekistan plan to build a new natural gas pipeline across Uzbekistan, strengthening Russia's bid to establish control over Central Asian gas exports to the West.

The online auction operator eBay is launching WorldofGood.com, a Web site to sell goods produced with social and environmental goals in mind.

Oil companies, rig and pipeline owners and refiners spread out across the Gulf Coast to look for damage from Hurricane Gustav, and some were already putting equipment and people back in place to resume operations.

Buying a business is a decision full of complexity and room for error. That's why it should not be taken lightly. Here are some basic guidelines to keep in mind when you embark on the process.