The Canadian Press – WASHINGTON – A weak U.S. economy got a little lift Thursday with new data suggesting companies aren’t pursuing mass layoffs and stores are a little busier.

Reuters – NEW YORK (Reuters) – Stocks and oil rose while U.S. Treasuries fell on Thursday as data on U.S. housing and jobless claims showed the world’s largest economy did not appear to be falling back into recession.

The Canadian Press – CAMBRIDGE, Ont. – Shares of Com Dev International Ltd. were up nearly six per cent Thursday after the abrupt departure of the company’s CEO a day earlier and an expected weak earnings report later in the day from the satellite technology company.

The Canadian Press – NEW YORK, N.Y. – Oil prices headed higher Thursday after an initial retreat as reports on jobs, manufacturing and home sales gave mixed signs about the U.S. economy.

Reuters – WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said he was partly to blame for leaving the wrong impression that the central bank could have saved Lehman Brothers from failure in 2008.

The Canadian Press – TORONTO – September can be a depressing month for investors not just as a signal that summer is waning but also because it’s often when stock markets turn in their most dismal performances.