MICHIGAN

(Reuters) - The Obama administration has urged a court to reject an attempt to block a controversial new law overhauling the U.S. healthcare system, saying it was constitutional and any challenge was premature.

(Reuters) - The evidence is stronger than ever that pollution from industry, traffic and power generation causes strokes and heart attacks, and people should avoid breathing in smog, the American Heart Association said on Monday.

The extreme market volatility of recent days has shaken investors, who still are seeking a clear explanation of what sent U.S. stocks into Thursday's dizzying intraday spiral.

The extreme market volatility of recent days has shaken investors, who still are seeking a clear explanation of what sent U.S. stocks into Thursday's dizzying intraday spiral.

No. 1 U.S. homebuilder PulteGroup Inc posted a far narrower than expected quarterly loss on Wednesday and said it expects to record a profit for 2010 overall, as the housing market pulls out of a brutal downturn.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Obese children in grades 3 through 6 are more apt to be bullied by their classmates than children who are trim, regardless of their gender, race, social skills, or academic achievement, a study published today in Pediatrics shows.

U.S. regulators seized three Puerto Rican banks on Friday and sold their deposits to other banks, costing the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp insurance fund $5.3 billion -- one of the largest hits in the banking crisis.

Dow Chemical Co posted a stronger than expected first-quarter profit on Wednesday as higher pricing and volume pushed revenue up around the globe, news that lifted shares more than 5 percent.

The masters of the universe were forced down to earth on Tuesday.

General Motors Co on Tuesday said it would invest about $890 million to upgrade five North American plants to build the next-generation V8 engine for its full-sized pickup trucks.

As he filled out forms in a re-employment center in the parking lot of his union hall, 61-year-old repairman Albert Hinojosa spoke about his uncertain future after losing a job he held for almost a quarter of a century.

The United States will take action if China does not begin to take steps in the coming months to raise the value of its currency, a top lawmaker in the U.S. House of Representatives warned on Monday.

U.S. regulators on Friday seized eight banks with assets totaling more than $6 billion, raising the tally this year to 51 failed banks and adding to the carnage of small institutions that is expected to peak this year.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc was charged with fraud by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over its marketing of a subprime mortgage product, igniting a battle between Wall Street's most powerful bank and the nation's top securities regulator.

Permits to build new U.S. homes surged in March to a 17-month peak and construction activity was the most vigorous in more than a year, providing fresh evidence that economic prospects are brightening.

Unemployment rates continued to fall in March in many U.S. states, the Labor Department said on Friday, sparking cautious optimism that an economic recovery is dawning.

U.S. consumer sentiment took a surprise negative turn in early April due to a persistently grim outlook on income and jobs, a private survey released on Friday showed.

Good morning dear traders, how was your trading yesterday? This way I imagine a trading day: you put your orders into the trading platform and go for a walk with your dog. When you come back, the trade is completely running for you.

Stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Wall Street on Friday, with equities poised to reverse recent strong gains after Google's results, and ahead of General Electric and Bank of America earnings.

More adults over age 65 are staying in the work force, which could make it harder for younger workers to find jobs, a private report showed on Friday.

(Reuters) - Five more states are joining a Florida-led group of states in a lawsuit challenging President Barack Obama's overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system, Florida's attorney general said on Wednesday.