Business

President Barack Obama has delayed his visit to Asia, his first international trip of the year, to focus on the push to salvage health care legislation after a year of contentious debate.

In recusing himself after two weeks of investigating Gov. David Paterson, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said there was no "technical conflict" but described the probe thus far as preliminary and bowed to pressure that included sinking approval ratings for the man widely expected to run for governor.

President Barack Obama plans to donate the $1.4 million from his Nobel Peace Prize to helping students, veterans' families and survivors of Haiti's earthquake, among others, drawing attention to organizations he said "do extraordinary work."

European stock markets and Wall Street futures rose Friday after better than expected figures for U.S. retail sales and eurozone industrial production helped ease concerns about the pace of economic recovery.

A settlement that could pay up to $657.5 million to more than 10,000 ground zero rescue and recovery workers sickened by dust from the destroyed World Trade Center goes before a judge Friday, and he has said he favored a settlement but planned to analyze it carefully to make sure it was fair.

The head of the Health and Human Services Department is sketching out a stark choice for the nation's insurers: oppose reform and eventually lose customers, or work with the Obama administration to improve the legislation.

Businesses likely increased inventories by a small amount in January, responding to a strong gain in their sales.
Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect inventories at the wholesale level rose by 0.2 percent in January with sales rising by a stronger 0.7 percent. The Commerce Department will release the new report at 10 a.m. EST Wednesday.

President Barack Obama is making his closing arguments for a health care overhaul, pushing a new anti-fraud plan as he cranks up the pressure on skittish Democratic lawmakers to act fast.

Stirring memories of his campaign for the White House, President Barack Obama made a spirited, shirt-sleeved appeal for passage of long-stalled health care changes Monday as Democratic congressional leaders worked behind the scenes on legislation they hope can quickly gain passage.

Legislation extending unemployment insurance for the long-term jobless faces a key test vote in the Senate, its momentum helped by about 60 popular tax breaks for individuals and businesses that expired at the end of last year.