IBT Staff Reporter

NEW YORK - Chemical shipments on U.S. railroads fell 10.1 percent last week, according to a report from the Association of American Railroads on Thursday.

Problem U.S. banks and thrifts on an official watchlist rose more than a third to 416 in the second quarter of 2009, as bad loans continued to bite, but regulators saw signs of stabilization in the industry.

SEATTLE - U.S. retailers could see sales in the 2009 holiday season decline from last year's dismal results or show only a slight increase, even in the best scenario, according to a new forecast.

The number of problem U.S. banks and thrifts on an official watchlist rose sharply to 416 in the second quarter of 2009 from 305 in the prior quarter, as the industry recorded a $3.7 billion loss.

Problem U.S. banks and thrifts on an official watchlist rose more than a third to 416 in the second quarter of 2009, as bad loans continued to bite, but regulators saw signs of stabilization in the industry.

Oil prices fell for the third consecutive day on Thursday as upbeat U.S. economic data failed to stanch concerns over bulging stockpiles in the world's largest energy consumer.

Moody's Investors Service on Thursday lowered its ratings on Pulte Homes, Inc and Centex Corp further into junk territory, citing cash generation challenges the merged companies face through the end of 2010.

Democrats scrambled on Thursday to find a way to quickly fill the seat of Senator Edward Kennedy, and give them a crucial vote in the drive to win overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system, a top domestic priority shared by President Barack Obama and Kennedy.

What forecasters say will become Hurricane Danny will not evolve from its current tropical storm status until the early part of the weekend and there are no signs from forecasters that it will surpass Category 1, according to a report from AccuWeather.com on Thursday.

For centuries, Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa and her enigmatic smile have inspired as much speculation as admiration. Now she's ready to answer questions -- in Mandarin.

Microsoft Corp plans to slash the price of its high-end Xbox 360 video game console by $100, or 25 percent, stepping up the price war in the video game console market.

U.S. stocks slipped on Thursday, with energy shares falling alongside oil prices as investors tapped the brakes on an August rally that has taken the market to 10-month highs.

Dominick Dunne, the American author and journalist best known for his coverage of high-profile court cases such as the O.J. Simpson murder trial, died on Wednesday at the age of 83.

G20 policymakers meeting in London next week will likely pledge to maintain accommodative policies for as long as is needed, a G7 source told Reuters on Thursday.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission on Thursday launched an inquiry to examine the state of competition in the wireless industry, taking a step that could lead to probes of other sectors.

The U.S. economy shrank less than expected in the second quarter, despite a record drop in inventories, and fewer workers filed new claims for jobless benefits last week, a sign the economy was starting to heal.

A top aide to accused swindler Allen Stanford entered the first guilty plea on Thursday in a $7 billion fraud case as Stanford was hospitalized with an extremely high heart rate.

Facebook agreed on Thursday to give its worldwide users better protection over their personal information as the result of negotiations with Canada's privacy commissioner.

SAN FRANCISCO - TiVo Inc (TIVO.O) reported a smaller-than-expected loss on Wednesday, as sales came in slightly better than Wall Street's forecast, and the digital video recorder maker announced new legal action against those it claims are using its technology without permission.

Luxury home builder Toll Brothers Inc reported a narrower-than-expected quarterly loss on Thursday, but shares fell amid concern about the extent that price cuts were supporting sales.

Ford Motor Co said on Thursday it is adding shifts at its truck plants in Michigan and Missouri in response to increased demand for its F-150 pickup trucks and Escape SUVs.

ATLANTA - Boeing Co said on Thursday its 787 Dreamliner would make its first flight by the end of this year, with initial delivery expected in the fourth quarter of 2010, and its shares shot up 8 percent.

NEW YORK - U.S. copper futures dipped into negative territory Thursday morning as a weaker open on Wall Street and lingering concerns about Chinese demand sapped earlier strength and pulled prices back down from the $2.90 a lb level.

Wearing flip-flops, khaki shorts and a green polo shirt, the new chief executive of bailed-out insurer American International Group Inc says he's getting a lot of work done from his massive villa overlooking the Adriatic.

Men and people of South Asian descent are more likely to have unfavorable perceptions of colon cancer screening, research from the UK shows.

NEW YORK - Bank of America Corp (BAC.N) said it has completed the previously announced transfer of 180,000 Ginnie Mae-backed mortgages from Taylor, Bean and Whitaker Mortgage Corp to the bank's home loan servicing business.

New ultra-sensitive blood tests can rapidly detect when heart muscle is dying from a heart attack, even from the moment the patient arrives in the emergency room, according to two studies on Wednesday.

Stocks fell on Thursday as energy shares followed slumping oil prices lower and technology issues declined, putting the brakes on an August rally that has taken stocks to 10-month highs.

The former chief financial officer of Stanford International Bank pleaded guilty on Thursday to charges stemming from an alleged $7 billion fraud.