MICHIGAN

If you recently tweeted about how you were chillaxin for the holiday, take note: Fifteen particularly over- or mis-used words and phrases have been declared shovel-ready to be unfriended by a U.S. university's annual list of terms that deserve to be banned.

A historic economic crisis has left Americans with plenty of things to worry about. But is inflation one of them? And is there a risk that fretting over higher prices may actually bring them about?

Stocks barely budged on Tuesday as data showing a rise in consumer confidence was offset by home prices stalling in October.

An Oklahoma company said it was voluntarily recalling 248,000 lbs (112,000 kg) of beef products in six states following an outbreak of illnesses involving E. coli bacteria.

When the first emergency alert from Detroit's airport went out just before noon on Sunday, it looked oddly like a mistaken repeat of the scare from two days earlier: Nigerian national caused disturbance on Flight 253.

U.S. authorities on Saturday charged a Nigerian man with trying to blow up a U.S. passenger jet with high explosives and were investigating his claim that he had links to al Qaeda.

General Motors Co emerged from a 40-day bankruptcy in July with a newfound zeal that things at the top U.S. automaker would never be the same

Ford Motor Co said on Wednesday it is nearing an agreement to sell its Volvo Swedish cars unit to China's Geely in a deal that underscores China's arrival as a major force in the global auto industry.

The Dow and the S&P 500 barely budged on Wednesday, as the indexes pulled back from early gains after data showed new home sales fell unexpectedly in November.

Ford Motor Co said on Wednesday that it expected to finalize the sale of Volvo to China's Geely in the first half of 2010 in a deal that underlines China's arrival as a major force in the global auto industry.

U.S. banks that spent more money on lobbying were more likely to get government bailout money, according to a study released on Monday.

Look for Final U.S. GDP numbers on Tuesday (2.8%Q/Q, 0.5% Price Index), followed by Existing Home Sales (6.31M) and the House Price Index (0.2%M/M).

Santa came early for Wall Street this year by giving the S&P 500 a 22 percent gain for 2009, and with just eight trading days left in the year, stock investors are not expecting to find much more under the tree.

Ford Motor Co is on track to improve its balance sheet as the auto industry rebounds from a severe downturn and the U.S. economy stages a slow recovery next year, executives said on Friday.

As President Barack Obama labored behind closed doors to break a deadlock over efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions, Republicans from the U.S. Congress were outside those meetings urging him not to bother.

Chrysler will keep open through 2011 its Sterling Heights, Michigan, plant near Detroit that it had once planned to close at the end of 2010, a United Auto Workers vice president said on Thursday

U.S. consumer prices rose modestly last month, while new home building bounced back from an October slump, suggesting inflation is not yet a concern even as the economy's recovery moves forward.

The United States must improve the business climate for manufacturers and not place undue regulatory burdens on the sector, the White House said on Wednesday ahead of a meeting focused on the industry.

A Michigan investment firm has finalized a deal to sell its 15 percent stake in the Cleveland Cavaliers to a group led by Kenny Huang, bringing LeBron James' team a step closer to adding the National Basketball Association's first big Chinese investor.

Methamphetamine use and smoking among U.S. teens has dropped significantly in recent years, but declines in marijuana use have stalled, according to an annual government survey released on Monday.

* Patriarch Partners to acquire majority stake in DuraMergers & Acquisitions | Funds News | ETFs News | Private Capital | Cyclical Consumer Goods | Financials* Patriarch to invest up to $125 mln capital* Dura emerged from bankruptcy in June 2008DETROIT, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Private equity firm Patriarch Partners has agreed to take a controlling stake in U.S. auto parts supplier Dura Automotive Systems by investing up to $125 million of capital, the investment company said...