The National Association of Home Builders says its housing market index plunged to another record low this month as the U.S. financial crisis, rising unemployment and swelling uncertainty over the economy shook builders' confidence about the prospect for a housing recovery.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson told Congress on Tuesday that the administration remains firmly opposed to dipping into the government's $700 billion financial bailout fund for a $25 billion rescue package for Detroit's Big Three automakers, no matter how badly they need the help.

Massachusetts' top securities regulator on Tuesday accused Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. of fraud over the investment bank's sales of auction-rate securities to customers who couldn't access their money after the market for the risky investments froze.

Anticipating another holiday travel crunch, President Bush on Tuesday said his administration is taking steps to prevent the frustrating flight delays that many travelers experience.

This is a Real-time headline. These are breaking news, delivered the minute it happens, delivered ticker-tape style. Visit www.marketwatch.com or the quote page for more information about this breaking news.

Wholesale prices plunged a record amount in October as energy prices fell by the largest amount in 22 years. The Labor Department reported Tuesday that wholesale prices dropped by 2.8 percent in October, the biggest one-month decline on records that go back more than 60 years.

Home prices fell in a record four out of five U.S. cities in the third quarter as low-cost foreclosures flooded the market and the U.S. housing market's decline spread throughout the country.

InBev SA on Tuesday formed the world's largest brewer when it closed its $52 billion takeover of Anheuser-Busch Cos.

This is a Real-time headline. These are breaking news, delivered the minute it happens, delivered ticker-tape style. Visit www.marketwatch.com or the quote page for more information about this breaking news.

Wholesale prices plunged a record amount in October as energy prices fell by the largest amount in 22 years. The Labor Department reported Tuesday that wholesale prices dropped by 2.8 percent in October, the biggest one-month decline on records that go back more than 60 years.

The Home Depot Inc., the nation's largest home improvement chain, said Tuesday that its third-quarter profit sank by nearly a third as shoppers scaled back on everything from custom kitchens to lumber and flooring.

Hewlett-Packard Co. surprised Wall Street on Tuesday by saying its earnings will be slightly above analysts' expectations, going against the grain as other technology bellwethers have slashed forecasts and posted weak results in the sagging economy.

Saks Inc. reported a wider-than-expected loss for the third quarter Tuesday, as the company resorted to deep discounts in an attempt to pull in affluent customers spooked by massive job losses on Wall Street and shrinking stock portfolios.

This is a Real-time headline. These are breaking news, delivered the minute it happens, delivered ticker-tape style. Visit www.marketwatch.com or the quote page for more information about this breaking news.

This is a Real-time headline. These are breaking news, delivered the minute it happens, delivered ticker-tape style. Visit www.marketwatch.com or the quote page for more information about this breaking news.

This is a Real-time headline. These are breaking news, delivered the minute it happens, delivered ticker-tape style. Visit www.marketwatch.com or the quote page for more information about this breaking news.

Home Depot Inc. said Tuesday its third quarter profit sank 31 percent on slow sales at established locations as consumers continued to cut back on spending.

Wall Street staged a cautious rally Tuesday, as a better-than-expected outlook from computer maker Hewlett-Packard Co. helped offset downbeat economic news.

Pepsi Bottling Group Inc., which bottles Pepsi beverages, on Tuesday cut its 2008 profit outlook and announced a restructuring plan that will affect more than 3,000 jobs worldwide.

Medtronic Inc., the world's largest medical device maker, said Tuesday a hefty legal charge from a patent dispute with Johnson & Johnson weighed down its fiscal 2009 second-quarter profit.