Fed report shows widespread signs growth easing (Reuters)

Reuters - The Federal Reserve observed "widespread signs" that economic growth had eased in the six weeks through the end of August, it said on Wednesday in a report suggesting the recovery was faltering along the East Coast and the Midwest.

BP report blames itself, others for oil spill (AP)

AP - In an internal report released Wednesday, BP blames itself, other companies' workers and a complex series of failures for the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill and the drilling rig explosion that preceded it.

Kia names new top executive after recalls (AP)

AP - KIA CEO: South Korean automaker Kia Motors named Lee Hyoung-keun to its top executive job Wednesday.

Ireland to split Anglo Irish into good, bad banks (AP)

AP - Ireland plans to split its most troubled financial institution, Anglo Irish Bank, in two as part of wider efforts to reassure international lenders that the Irish are taking control of their debt crisis.

Google seeks to speed up Web searches (Reuters)

Reuters - Google Inc unveiled a set of enhancements to its Internet search engine on Wednesday that predict search queries as users type, promising to speed up the time it takes to find information online.

Freddie Mac to issue new 5-year note due 2015 (AP)

AP - Government sponsored mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Wednesday it plans to issue new five-year notes due on Sept. 10, 2015.

BP blames contractors for U.S. oil spill (Reuters)

Reuters - A BP Plc investigation of the Gulf of Mexico disaster played down the company's role in the world's worst offshore oil spill, seeking to share the blame with its contractors.

S&P 500 rises 1 percent (Reuters)

Reuters - The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose more than 1 percent in afternoon trading on Wednesday, while the Dow and Nasdaq added to gains as worries about Europe's banking system decreased, easing risk aversion.

EU suspends WTO dumping sanction bid against US (AFP)

AFP - The European Union said Wednesday it had suspended a request at the World Trade Organization for the right to impose sanctions on Washington over a controversial US anti-dumping calculation.

Smithfield posts 1Q profit on higher pork prices (AP)

AP - Smithfield Foods Inc. said Wednesday higher selling prices for pork and improvement in hog market prices helped it return to a profit in its fiscal first-quarter.

Summary Box: Mortgage lending falls 1.5 pct (AP)

AP - MORTGAGE APPLICATIONS SLIP: Applications for home loans dipped last week as mortgage rates ticked up slightly from the lowest level in decades, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Economists further scale back U.S. growth outlook (Reuters)

Reuters - Stubbornly high unemployment and signs of persistent weakness in the housing market have prompted economists to further cut their outlook for U.S. growth in the second half of the year, a Reuters poll showed on Wednesday.

How to Play It Safe With Muni Bonds (U.S. News & World Report)

U.S. News & World Report - Defaults in the municipal bond market can happen, as some investors recently discovered. Municipal bonds, which are generally some of the safest investments, are issued by states, municipalities, or counties, and are usually exempt from federal, state, and local taxes. Muni defaults--such as those on bonds issued this year in Jefferson County, Ala., and Harrisburg, Pa.--are not common, but in an era of budget cuts and lower revenues, it's important for investors to be aware of the risks. Here are a few general rules for muni investors to follow:

Tight inventories hurt Talbots sales (Reuters)

Reuters - Women's clothing retailer Talbots Inc posted lower-than-expected quarterly sales and its shares fell 11.6 percent as efforts to keep inventory lean and preserve margins left it short of items to sell.

PriceSmart's revenue increase in August (AP)

AP - PriceSmart Inc.'s revenue climbed in August as customers continued to seek bargains on basic items at the company's warehouse clubs amid a soft economy.

How the major stock indexes fared Tuesday (AP)

AP - Stocks closed lower Tuesday following new worries about Europe's debt problems. News reports said European banks may have more risky government debt on their books than was disclosed during "stress tests" earlier this year. That could mean fees from regulators and more capital-raising by the banks to bolster their balance sheets.

The Treasury's New Research Office (BusinessWeek)

BusinessWeek - Don't expect an Elizabeth Warren-style campaign for the first director of the Office of Financial Research, yet another agency set up under the financial system overhaul. Unlike the pending decision over who will lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which has prompted online petitions and a viral rap video in support of the Harvard law professor, the competition over who will be the head of the research office is a wonks-only affair. ...