AFP - The United States said it would expose 'troublesome' foreign trade barriers in a strategy to prise open markets for doubling American exports to ease an unemployment crisis at home.

Reuters - Chinese exports and imports grew faster than expected in February, underlining the momentum behind the world's third-largest economy and reinforcing the case for a rise in the yuan.

Reuters - Chinese exports and imports grew faster than expected in February, underlining the momentum behind the world's third-largest economy and reinforcing the case for a rise in the yuan.

Reuters - China is setting up a new agency to help streamline its trade negotiating bureaucracy as the world's third-largest economy faces a growing number of commercial disputes.

AP - Britain's economic recovery remains fragile, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown warned Wednesday, as he paved the way for a national election by announcing the government's budget would be published in two weeks.

AP - Economists believe that the federal budget deficit through the first five months of the budget year is running at a record-breaking pace, with the February imbalance likely to climb to the highest level this fiscal year.

AP - Official data shows German January exports improved 0.2 percent compared with January 2009 but declined a sharp 6.3 percent from December.

Reuters - Shareholders may have to wait for months to retrieve capital after U.S. regulators told banks not to increase dividends or buy back shares amid political and economic uncertainty surrounding the financial industry, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.

Reuters - After a growth spurt at the end of 2009, the U.S. economy will slow in the months ahead, keeping the Federal Reserve from raising borrowing costs until the final three months of the year, a Reuters poll showed.

Reuters - U.S. mortgage applications nudged up last week, reflecting increased demand for home purchase loans even as interest rates trekked higher, data from an industry group showed on Wednesday.

Reuters - U.S. wholesale inventories fell modestly in January, while sales rose to their highest level since October 2008, suggesting that inventories would continue to support economic growth in the first quarter.

Reuters - U.S. mortgage applications nudged higher last week, reflecting increased demand for home purchase loans even as interest rates trekked higher, data from an industry group showed on Wednesday.

AP - Gov. Mark Parkinson called Kansas' first unemployment report for 2010 'discouraging,' urging legislators Wednesday to put politics aside in finding solutions.

AP - Alabama's January unemployment rate rose to 11.1 percent, the highest mark in 26 years and a level that may increase again this spring.

AP - South Carolina's unemployment rate tied its record high in January at 12.6 percent, and jobless numbers went up in all of the state's 46 counties, according to data released Wednesday.

AP - Indiana's unemployment rate held at 9.7 percent for January as some 327,000 people were looking for work.

AP - State officials say Nebraska's unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.6 percent in January, still less than half the national rate of 9.7 percent.

AP - New federal labor data show that California's unemployment rate remains the fifth highest in the nation.

Reuters - The Senate on Wednesday approved a $149 billion package of jobless aid and tax breaks as Democrats continued efforts to bring down the 9.7 percent unemployment rate before the November congressional elections.

AP - JOBS SCARCE: The unemployment rate rose in 30 states in January, the Labor Department said Wednesday, as jobs remain scarce across the country.

AP - State labor officials say New Jersey's unemployment rate dropped slightly in January, but is still higher than the national rate.

Reuters - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Tuesday said the Obama administration's strategy to halt recession and contain the financial crisis has been effective, but vowed to continue stabilization efforts.

Reuters - U.S. wholesale inventories fell unexpectedly in January and sales hit their highest in more than a year, suggesting businesses will soon need to begin restocking, which would support economic growth.

AP - The Labor Department on Wednesday said that unemployment rates rose in 30 states in January, as jobs remain scarce across the country.

AP - Oklahoma's jobless rate declined to 6.7 percent in January.

Reuters - The Senate on Wednesday passed a $149 billion package of jobless aid and tax breaks, as Democrats continued efforts to lower the 9.7 percent unemployment rate before congressional elections in November.

AP - The Maine Labor Department says unemployment in Maine rose in January to 8.2 percent.

AP - Colorado's unemployment rate rose 0.1 percentage point in January to 7.4 percent, the state Department of Labor and Employment said Wednesday.

AP - Japan says its economy grew notably less in the fourth quarter than initial estimates.

AP - With unemployment high and personal wealth diminished, how was it that strapped consumers were paying down their credit card debt last year? It turns out they probably weren't.

Reuters - A Republican senator who held up action earlier this month on a bill to renew jobless benefits faced more criticism on Wednesday for blocking approval of President Barack Obama's nominee to be U.S. ambassador to the World Trade Organization.

AP - INVENTORIES: Inventories held at the wholesale level fell 0.2 percent in January, highlighting that businesses remain cautious about adding to their stockpiles.

Reuters - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said on Wednesday that 'fundamental reform' of the government's role in the housing finance market is needed and it will be next year before proposals are ready for Congress.

AP - The 62-36 roll call Wednesday by which the Senate voted to extend jobless aid, tax breaks to businesses and individuals and money to help financially strapped states pay for health care for the poor.