Referring to Halliburton Co. as "war criminals," former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad slammed the government's move to allow the U.S. energy company to begin operating in Malaysia, saying the country doesn't need "blood money."

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said Friday that financial markets are "considerably calmer" now than they were two months ago. He predicted the economy will be rebounding by the second half of this year.

Oil prices surged more than $3, shattering a previous record in a spike near $128 a barrel as robust global demand for distillates continued to pull energy futures higher.

Construction of new homes posted the biggest increase in more than two years in April, a rare spot of good news amid the worst downturn in housing in more than two decades.

General Electric Co. says it plans to sell or spin-off its century-old appliance business. The industrial conglomerate said Friday the move is part of an ongoing plan to exit "slower growth and more volatile businesses."

Joan Kohler is not a typical new scooter customer.

CBS Corp. says it has agreed to buy online technology news and entertainment company CNet Networks Inc. for about $1.8 billion.

Billionaire activist investor Carl Icahn has confirmed he is launching a proxy battle to remove Yahoo's board of directors.

General Motors Corp. and a local union reached a new labor agreement that could end a monthlong strike at a Michigan plant which makes some of GM's hottest selling vehicles.

More U.S. homeowners fell behind on mortgage payments last month, driving the number of homes facing foreclosure up 65 percent versus the same month last year and contributing to a deepening slide in home values, a research company said.

Sure, gas and food prices are high, but it's still possible to escape this summer. By concentrating on ways to save, you'll find yourself at the beach or in the mountains for less than you think.

Consumers, battling soaring gasoline prices and a slumping economy, cut back further on their spending in April. The Commerce Department reported that retail sales dipped 0.2 percent last month, right in line with economists' expectations.

The micro car, the smallest car for sale in the U.S. market, offers a good level of safety, according to new crash tests conducted by the insurance industry.

The National Association of Realtors says median home prices fell in two-thirds of the cities surveyed during the first three months of this year.

Mom-and-pop service stations are running into a problem as gasoline marches toward $4 a gallon: Thousands of old-fashioned pumps can't register more than $3.99 on their spinning mechanical dials.

A gloomy economy has forced Americans to give up luxuries large and small.

Cablevision Systems Corp. says it is buying the Long Island-based newspaper Newsday from Tribune Co. for $650 million.

A senior Toyota executive said Monday that plans for a new auto assembly plant in Mississippi are being delayed by worries about slumping American auto sales and a broader U.S. economic slowdown.

Hundreds of thousands taxpayers - from legal immigrants to soldiers based abroad - won't be getting a share of the stimulus package because of a provision aimed at preventing illegal immigrants from getting rebates.

Four-dollar-a-gallon gas is good for business - if you run a bike shop. Commuters around the country are dusting off their old two-wheelers - or buying new ones - to cope with rising fuel prices, bicycle dealers say.

Oil prices surpassed a record $126 per barrel on the eve of the U.S. driving season as a weakening dollar drove investors to snap up commodities.

Gasoline and crude oil jumped to new records, with gas rising 3 cents to an average national price of nearly $3.65 a gallon and oil crossing $124 a barrel for the first time.

U.S. employers have cut tens of thousands of jobs in the last few months and layoffs appear to be spreading. If you're worried about your job, now isn't the time to panic. It's time to get prepared.

The number of newly laid off U.S. workers seeking unemployment benefits dropped much more than expected last week. The Labor Department reported Thursday that applications for unemployment benefits fell to 365,000.

Wall Street tumbled as the price of a barrel of oil soared to a record near $124 and touched off concerns that the stock market's recent gains might have been premature while consumers grapple with rising energy and food costs.

Thought about buying a hybrid but have yet to take the plunge? Now may be the time to reconsider. With gas prices high, a hybrid could save you money.

It's for the better in some ways, but not others, says Early Show money maven Ray Martin, who offers guidance to students and parents.

Oil futures blasted to a new record near $123 a barrel, gaining momentum as investors bought on a forecast of much higher prices and on any news hinting at supply shortages.

"Grand Theft Auto IV" raked in more than $500 million in its first week in stores, selling more than 6 million units worldwide, the video game's publisher said.

Clearwire and Sprint Nextel will combine their wireless broadband units to create a $14.55 billion communications company.

Chrysler announced an offer that caps the price of gasoline at $2.99 a gallon for three years for people who buy or lease new vehicles from Wednesday through June 2.

A rising tide of late mortgage payments and home foreclosures poses considerable dangers to the U.S. economy, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned anew as he urged Congress to take additional steps to alleviate the problems.

A lot of people - especially its stockholders - are worried about the future of Yahoo now that Microsoft has backed away from its offer to buy the company. But Microsoft shareholders also have reason to worry, writes Larry Magid.

The owner of Tropicana casinos in Atlantic City and Las Vegas has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, nearly five months after New Jersey regulators stripped the Tropicana Casino and Resort of its license.

Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang may only have a few months to convince Wall Street that his rebuff of Microsoft's takeover bid was a smart move; if he can't, analysts say he may either be replaced as CEO or forced to consider accepting a lower offer.

The Federal Reserve reports that more U.S. banks are tightening lending standards on home mortgages, other types of consumer loans and business loans in response to a spreading credit crisis.

And the impact on those on the lower end of the scale continues to widen, evidence shows. Benno Schmidt looked into it, and a reporter who just penned a book on the topic discussed it, on The Early Show.

The Federal Reserve and other regulators initiated steps to end "unfair and deceptive" credit card industry practices assailing consumers who are already struggling to cope in a bad economy.