AP - Confidence among Japanese manufacturers slipped in March for the first time in a year, according to a closely-watched Bank of Japan survey released Monday.

Reuters - Pending sales of existing U.S. homes rose only narrowly in February as bad weather and weakness in the subprime lending sector put a crimp on the housing market, a real estate agents' trade association said on Tuesday.

FT.com - The Japanese stock market rose strongly on Wednesday morning, gaining from confidence about the outlook for the US economy and strong gains in some domestic sectors.

AP - China told banks Thursday to increase their reserves for the third time this year, cutting the amount of money available for lending in a new effort to cool an investment boom that Beijing worries could lead to a financial crisis.

AP - America's employers ramped up hiring in March, driving the unemployment rate down to a five-month low of 4.4 percent. It was a surprisingly strong performance in an economy that has otherwise shown signs of sluggishness recently.

AP - Threats to the global economy have lessened a bit in recent months, the head of the International Monetary Fund said Monday

AP - World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz is taking 'full responsibility' for helping a close woman friend get transferred to a high-paying job.

AP - The federal budget deficit is running at a lower rate through the first six months of this budget year even though spending in March hit an all-time high.

AP - The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose last week to the highest level in two months.

Reuters - The U.S. trade deficit narrowed unexpectedly in February while producer prices excluding volatile food and energy were unchanged in March, data showed on Friday, suggesting the economy continued to chug along while inflation pressures remained muted.

Reuters - U.S. retail sales rose a slightly more-than-expected 0.7 percent in March in part on higher gasoline prices, a Commerce Department report on Monday showed.

Reuters - A surge in gasoline costs helped drive overall U.S. consumer prices up at the sharpest

AP - China's sizzling economy jumped 11.1 percent in the first quarter from the same period a year earlier, raising prospects the government will take further measures to cool growth amid worries the economy is overheating.

Reuters - U.S. corporate profits will be smaller, demand for goods will diminish, hiring will slow and weaker growth is expected later this year, a survey released on Monday showed.

AP - Consumer confidence crumbled in April as rising gasoline prices undermined how Americans feel about the prospects for economic growth, a widely watched gauge of the economy showed on Tuesday.

Reuters - New orders for costly and long-lasting U.S.-made goods rose a surprisingly strong 3.4 percent in March, according to a government report on Wednesday that showed businesses investing to expand operations.

AP - Rates on 30-year mortgages edged down for a second week as financial markets interpreted weakness in consumer confidence and home sales as evidence that the economy is still mired in a period of lackluster growth.

AFP - The US economy expanded at a worse-than-expected 1.3 percent rate in the first quarter, marking the slowest period of growth in four years, the government announced Friday.

Reuters - U.S. incomes rose a greater-than-expected 0.7 percent in March, but core consumer prices were surprisingly unchanged, a Commerce Department report showed on Monday.