Stocks climb as traders see gains in commodities, rise in takeover activity as promising signs

NEW YORK — Rising commodities prices and stirrings of corporate takeovers are making investors more optimistic about the economy.

Rates on Treasury bills fall, 6-month bills hit record low for second straight week

WASHINGTON — Interest rates on six-month Treasury bills hit a record low for the second consecutive week.

Stocks rise as investors see a pickup in takeover activity as a promising sign for the economy

NEW YORK — Rising commodity prices and stirrings of corporate takeovers are making investors more optimistic about the economy.

Top House Democrat says he could support health care bill without a public option

WASHINGTON — Prospects for a government insurance plan appeared to be sinking fast Tuesday as lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill a day ahead of a major health care speech by President Barack Obama.

Stocks rise as investors look to takeover discussions as promising sign for economic recovery

NEW YORK — News about corporate takeovers is making investors more optimistic about the economy and giving them new reasons to buy stocks.

San Francisco Bay Bridge reopens after repair job completed sooner than expected

SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge reopened Tuesday just in time for the start of the work week after transit officials hastily announced that crews were able to make a crucial repair a day ahead of schedule.

Stocks rise as investors look to merger discussions as promising sign for economic recovery

NEW YORK — News about mergers is making investors more optimistic about the economy and giving them new reasons to buy stocks.

Stocks open higher at opening as global markets rise, investors regain some optimism

The stock market is opening higher as merger news raised investors’ optimism about an economic recovery.

Oil rises to above $70 in afternoon European trade on rising stocks, weaker dollar

Oil prices gained over $2 Tuesday, surging past $70 a barrel Tuesday on rising stock markets and investor interest in commodities as the U.S. dollar lost ground against other currencies.

Dollar hits low for year ahead of US trading as gold tops $1,000 an ounce

NEW YORK — The dollar fell to a low for the year Tuesday as gold prices shot past $1,000 an ounce and investors switched funds into riskier investments.

Oil rises to near $70 in afternoon European trade on rising stocks, weaker dollar

Oil prices rose to near $70 a barrel Tuesday, buoyed by rising stock markets and investor interest in commodities as the U.S. dollar lost ground against other currencies.

Sen. Grassley likes nonprofit cooperatives to help make coverage available to uninsured people

WASHINGTON — A Republican senator in the Group of Six that’s trying to fashion a health care compromise says non-profit cooperatives might be the way to cover the uninsured.

Stock futures point to higher opening as global markets rise, investors regain some optimism

The stock market headed for a higher open Tuesday as merger news raised investors’ optimism about an economic recovery.

World stocks rise on corporate deal-making, government pledges to support economy

LONDON — World stocks rose Tuesday, helped by corporate merger news and positive momentum over government pledges to support the global recovery with stimulus efforts.

Oil rises above $69 in Asia as rising stocks reflect investor optimism

SINGAPORE — Oil prices rose above $69 a barrel Tuesday in Asia, bouyed by rising regional stock markets as the U.S. summer driving season wound down.

California commuter commotion expected as workweek begins without San Francisco Bay Bridge

SAN FRANCISCO — It will be trains, boats or roundabout routes, all of them packed, for Bay Area commuters as the long weekend shutdown of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge spills into the workweek.

Space shuttle, station crews say goodbye, close hatches between them for Tuesday’s undocking

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The farewell hugs and handshakes are over. Now all that’s left for the crews of the space shuttle and space station is the release of the docking latches.

Obama ‘fired up’ and ‘ready to go’ for Wednesday speech to nation on health care overhaul

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama seems fired up and ready to go.

Bipartisan Senate group to meet on health care as time winds down for compromise

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers returning to Capitol Hill a day ahead of President Barack Obama’s health care speech wasted no time Tuesday showing just how hard his selling job will be.

Oil hovers near $68 in Asia for fifth day as US summer driving season sends

SINGAPORE — Oil prices hovered near $68 a barrel Tuesday in Asia for a fifth day as the U.S. summer driving season wound down and OPEC planned to meet Wednesday.

Organizers: Nearly $60.5M in contributions, pledges in this year’s Jerry Lewis MDS Telethon

TUCSON, Ariz. — Despite the tough economy, officials with the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon say contributions and pledges from this year’s Labor Day event totaled nearly $60.5 million.

Former Rep. Joseph Kennedy II, RFK’s eldest son, nixes campaign for late uncle’s Senate seat

BOSTON — Former Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II, the eldest son of Robert F. Kennedy, announced Monday he would not run for the U.S. Senate seat held for nearly 50 years by his late uncle, Edward M. Kennedy. The decision was certain to widen the race for the Democratic nomination.

VP Joe Biden pledges to back workers in the first of 2 Labor Day stops in Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH — Vice President Joe Biden told a rally at Pittsburgh’s Labor Day parade that organized labor was the backbone of the country and that he and Sen. Arlen Specter would continue fighting for workers.

Obama to announce manufacturing adviser in Labor Day speech at union picnic

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama said Monday the country still faces a “vast and complex” economic crisis and is pledging to work with business and labor to make things better.

Liberals and conservatives agree on 1 requirement for Obama health care speech: specifics

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is getting no shortage of advice on what to say in his health care speech to Congress, and much of it conflicts.

Labor Day scorecard: Despite highest jobless rate, average wages increase, wage gaps narrow

TRENTON, N.J. — Despite the nation’s highest jobless rate in 26 years, American workers are seeing some encouraging trends this Labor Day, according to a report released Monday by Rutgers University.

Oil steady near $68 in Asia for fourth day ahead of this week’s OPEC meeting

Oil prices stayed near $68 a barrel for the fourth straight day on Monday as OPEC was expected to keep its members’ output levels steady at this week’s meeting.

At AFL-CIO Labor Day picnic, Obama to name White House adviser for manufacturing policy

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is addressing one of his key constituencies — organized labor — on Monday as union members gather to celebrate the holiday named for their movement.

INSIDE WASHINGTON: Workplace cases stalled as 2nd Labor Day passes with gridlocked labor board

WASHINGTON — Another Labor Day, another year of dysfunction in the agency that’s supposed to protect workers from unfair labor practices and referee clashes between unions and management.

Anatomy of a meltdown: How the financial crisis unfolded in 5 terrifying weeks

NEW YORK — The nation was focused on a tropical storm spinning off the Carolinas and a hurricane headed for Florida. People were gaming out how a political novice named Sarah Palin might upend the presidential campaign.