• Consumer spending flags, but confidence rises
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Personal income tumbled unexpectedly in July and inflation-adjusted spending shrank as government economic stimulus waned, but consumer spirits rose this month, a hint the economy may muddle through its woes.

  

  

  
• Stocks tumble as Dell warns on tech spending
  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks tumbled on Friday, led lower by tech shares after computer maker Dell warned that companies worldwide are cutting back on technology spending.

  

  

  
• Palin, drilling advocate, spars with oil companies
  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is seen as a strong advocate for opening new areas to oil drilling, including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, but has taken a hard line in negotiations with oil companies and raised taxes on the state's energy producers.

  

  

  
• Electric fault spurs big GM recall
  DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Corp is recalling 857,735 vehicles equipped with a heated windshield wiper fluid system for a potential short-circuit problem, according to federal safety regulators.

  

  

  
• Alabama governor in talks to avoid local bankruptcy
  BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (Reuters) - Alabama's governor and Wall Street lenders bargained on Friday ahead of the expiration of a stand-still pact in a bid to avert a bankruptcy filing on $3.2 billion of debt by the state's most populous county.

  

  

  

Coverage includes breaking news, market reports, newsmaker interviews and key company profiles.

• Japan nuclear accident impact
  July 31 - Japan's killer earthquake left its biggest nuclear power company facing financial losses, supply questions, and demands for greater safety.
• Asia up as US fears ease
  July 31 - Asian stocks rose on Tuesday after a rebound on Wall Street, with the focus on earnings as credit fears eased.
• Transformers hit Japan
  Jul. 23 - The movie "Transformers" comes to Tokyo this week, a homecoming of sorts for the toy-robot film that earned over $260 million in three weeks in North America.
• Zoellick heads to Asia
  Jul. 26 - Newly appointed World Bank President Robert Zoellick will travel to Asia next week.
• Market's bumpy ride continues
  Jul. 30 - European markets experienced a up and down start to the week on Monday, while HSBC's results surprised.