NC Jan. jobless rate hits record 11.1 percent - The recession pushed North Carolina's unemployment rate to 11.1 percent in January, a historic high, the Employment Security Commission reported Wednesday. January also marked a year that the state's jobless rate has been stuck above its previous high.

Wholesale inventories fall while sales increase - Businesses trimmed inventories at the wholesale level again in January even though sales rose for a 10th consecutive month. The dip in inventories underscored that businesses remain cautious about restocking their depleted shelves....

Dow turns lower; S&P, Nasdaq pare gains - The Dow slipped into negative territory at midday on Wednesday, while the Nasdaq and S&P 500 pared gains as a rise in financial shares was offset by declines in energy shares.

Wider "Volcker rule" bill unveiled in Senate - Legislation that would write into law and widen the proposed "Volcker rule" to limit proprietary trading was unveiled in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday with the support of five Democratic senators.

Curbing derivatives might hurt, not help, Greece - Derivatives have become a dirty word....

GDP seen slowing, tying Fed hands on rates - After a growth spurt at the end of 2009, the U.S. economy will slow in the months ahead, keeping the Federal Reserve from raising borrowing costs until the final three months of the year, a Reuters poll showed.

Stocks rise after inventories fall but sales gain - Stocks are continuing their slow trek higher after the government's report of a drop in companies' inventories during January....

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Training Displaced Workers But For What Jobs? - In Dayton, Ohio, Sinclair Community College has been a driving force in helping retrain the unemployed so they can find work after graduation. But high paying manufacturing jobs don't seem to be coming back, and any good job is tough to find.

Job Openings Up Sharply In January - The Labor Department reported on Tuesday that job openings increased in January. The number of openings in January rose about 7.6 percent to 2.7 million, compared with December. It is still a tough job market, however, but with some signs of improvement.

Bank Of America Ends Overdraft Fees On Debit Cards - The nation's largest banks says when customers don't have enough money in their accounts, purchases will not go through. A spokesperson for Bank of America says consumer research shows that people prefer to have a transaction declined rather than have the purchase go through and be charged an overdraft fee.

'Soros Lectures' Shares Wisdom, Criticisms - George Soros has made billions of dollars predicting the ups and downs of global financial markets. Soros speaks to Steve Inskeep about his new book The Soros Lectures: At the European University. It is Soros' dissertation on why the world financial system is so flawed — and what corrective steps will help.

Underwater Cable May Ease Electric Shortages - Energy developers have struggled to connect new sources of renewable electricity with big cities, without building ugly and expensive transmission corridors. A Canadian company has unveiled a nearly $4 billion plan to bury underwater cables in Lake Champlain, the Hudson River and Long Island Sound. The project would feed power to New York City and Connecticut.

Athletes' Case May Rewrite Money Rules For NCAA - An antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA seeks a potential payday for athletes who have been merchandised. The case over the use of players' likenesses in video games and memorabilia may change the essence of the NCAA. What if college players were no longer seen as amateurs?

States Square Off Against Amazon Over Sales Tax - The Supreme Court has said that retailers can't be expected to collect sales taxes in states where they don't have a physical presence. But as states struggle with huge budget deficits, they want to collect on the billions of dollars of taxes they say online shoppers owe.

Toyota Investigates Case Of Runaway Prius - Toyota is looking into why a Prius reportedly wouldn't stop after the driver says he accelerated to pass another vehicle. In the incident, which happened Monday outside San Diego, the hybrid car reached speeds of more than 90 mph. The driver says the gas pedal stuck. He also says he was told his Prius was not among the millions of cars Toyota recalled.

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Wholesale inventories fall, sales surge - U.S. wholesale inventories fell modestly in January, while sales rose to their highest level since October 2008, suggesting that inventories would continue to support economic growth in the first quarter.

Prius Hits Wall In N.Y.; Police Point To Stuck Accelerator - Police in Westchester County (N.Y.) say a 56-year-old woman smashed a 2005 Toyota Prius into a stone wall Tuesday after a stuck accelerator pedal "shot" the vehicle forward.

BofA To End Overdraft Fees On Debit Cards - Customers who try to make debit card purchases without enough money in their accounts to cover the transaction will be denied at the cash register. For ATM transactions, those who try to withdraw more than their balance will first have to agree to pay a $35 overdraft fee.

Blue chips' ties to pay advisers under spotlight - A dark corner of corporate America is being thrust into the harsh glare of disclosure.

Would A Soda Tax Be A Big Deal? - Planet Money: A penny-per-ounce tax could drive down consumption by more than 10 percent.

After Quake, Haiti Seeks Better Business Climate - Haiti's small business elite sees January's earthquake as an opportunity, but not just to make money. They say it's a chance to refashion the corrupt, inefficient way things are done in Haiti, while marshaling international support to boost the country's industries.