Business - Investing

BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) - UK bank Lloyds' army of small investors grilled executives for over three hours on Thursday over secret central bank loans and mistakes made during the crisis, but agreed to back a record-breaking rights issue. Full Story »

PARIS (AFP) - European banks have 13 billion euros' worth of exposure to debt-laden Dubai, Swiss lender Credit Suisse estimated on Thursday after the Gulf state shocked investors by moving to suspend some repayments. Full Story »

LONDON (Reuters) - Shares in banks, builders and companies part-owned in the Middle East fell around the world on Thursday and investors sought safety in government bonds on worries about Dubai's ability to pay its debts. Full Story »

DENVER - In a Nov. 24 story about Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC buying back auction rate securities from investors, The Associated Press, relying on information from the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, reported erroneously how much the company was buying back. Full Story »

The number of Americans filing claims for jobless benefits fell to a 14-month low last week, the Labor Department said Wednesday, a sign that layoffs are easing as the economy slowly heals. Full Story »

The quarrel between fundamentals-oriented investors and chart readers is one of those fights that shouldn't exist. Full Story »

DENVER - Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC has agreed to buy back $79 million of auction rate securities from Colorado investors who struggled to sell them after the market for them froze. Full Story »

INDIANAPOLIS - Federal agents searched the Indiana and Ohio offices of two companies owned by an Indianapolis businessman Tuesday, serving warrants a month after a newspaper questioned whether the Ohio firm is capable of repaying some $168 million owed to investors. Full Story »

The Federal Reserve upgraded its view of the U.S. economy on Tuesday, saying this year's contraction won't be as steep as previously thought and that growth next year may be better than expected. Full Story »

As basketball season starts up again, countless coaches are no doubt shouting out this principle to their teams during practice: Defense wins championships. Full Story »

Shifting assets from money market funds yielding near zero, investors stuffed a near-record $45.02 billion into bond funds in October. Also, skittish about a sell-off in stocks, they pulled $7.08 billion from stock funds. Full Story »

U.S. telecom firms have hit a ceiling as most Americans have a cell phone and Internet access. These firms can only dream of untapped potential in China, the world's largest mobile market. Full Story »

PHILADELPHIA - A gym owner-turned-investment fund manager was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in prison for running a Ponzi scheme that left investors short $35 million once the fraud unraveled. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - Fannie Mae says it won't consider offers from investors to buy its foreclosed properties until they have been on the market for 15 days. Full Story »

LOS ANGELES - Shareholders at American Funds have rejected a measure that seeks to screen out investments possibly linked to genocide in international hot spots like Sudan's Darfur region. Full Story »

NEW YORK - Moody's Investors Service on Tuesday upgraded its corporate family debt rating on Rent-a-Center Inc. by one notch within junk territory, now that Rent-a-Center has paid down about $300 million in senior unsecured debt. Full Story »

NEW ORLEANS - A Louisiana businessman charged with defrauding investors out of nearly $20 million in an alleged Ponzi scheme has been ordered detained in federal custody. Full Story »

HARTFORD, Conn. - Authorities said a Wethersfield, Conn., man has been charged with running a 12-year scheme that defrauded investors of more than $20 million. Full Story »