Reuters - Bank of Ireland is to raise private capital, potentially becoming the only member of an Irish 'bad bank' scheme to escape a fresh bailout, as Dublin faces years of scrimping to plug the black hole created by the sector.

AFP - Oil prices struggled higher on Wednesday as traders examined recent mixed global economic data before publication of a widely watched US energy reserves report.

AFP - The European single currency rose slightly on Wednesday but gains were capped by Greek debt concerns before publication of fresh US economic data, analysts said.

AP - The European Commission says major eurozone exporters such as Germany and the Netherlands should use export earnings to boost household demand and help even out imbalances among the 16 nations that use the euro.

AFP - The US economy shed 23,000 private-sector jobs in March, a payrolls firm said Wednesday in a report that was dramatically worse than market expectations.

AP - Super-low interest rates are still needed to aid the economic recovery, but there's a chance that the Federal Reserve may have to start raising rates before the nation's unemployment rate drops significantly, a Federal Reserve official says.

Reuters - Airplane mechanic Sal Rallo bought a video game this week for his sons, a purchase he would not have made a year or two years ago when he feared losing his job.

Reuters - U.S. private employers unexpectedly shed jobs in March, dampening hopes about the strength of the recovery two days before the government employment report.

AFP - An unexpected rise in private-sector job losses stoked concerns about the strength of the US economic recovery Wednesday, ahead of a key government labor report later this week.

Reuters - Bank of Ireland will raise from private sources much of the 2.7 billion euros ($3.6 billion) it needs, potentially becoming the only member of Ireland's 'bad bank' scheme to escape a fresh bailout.

Reuters - European industry bodies urged European Union regulators on Wednesday to prevent unfair competition and excessive pricing of iron ore, saying it could hamper economic recovery in Europe.

Reuters - Private employers unexpectedly shed jobs in March, dampening hopes about the strength of the recovery two days before the government employment report.

AP - New York City's billionaire mayor has tapped former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, former U.S. Department of the Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker and 16 others to serve on the board of his philanthropic foundation.

AP - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will discuss economic stability, financial investment and building up infrastructure with Indian officials when he visits India next week, a U.S. official said Wednesday.

Reuters - Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan and ex-Citigroup Chief Executive Chuck Prince will appear next month before a U.S. panel investigating the roots of the financial crisis that brought global markets to their knees in 2008.

AP - NOT READY TO BOOST RATES: Dennis Lockhart, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, said record-low interest rates are still need to foster the economic recovery.

AP - The chairman and CEO of Eastman Kodak Co. received compensation valued at $10.2 million in 2009 as the imaging pioneer rallied from a recession-triggered slump, according to an Associated Press analysis of a regulatory filing Wednesday.

Reuters - Private employers unexpectedly shed jobs in March, dampening hopes about the strength of the recovery two days before the more closely watched government payrolls report.

AP - The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is disclosing new details about billions of dollars of securities it bought while rescuing insurance giant American International Group Inc. and supporting the sale of failed investment bank Bear Stearns.

AP - Confidence at Japanese companies improved for the fourth straight quarter, a key central bank report showed Thursday.