SAN FRANCISCO—-The Department of Industrial Relations identifies multiple violations of state laws during enforcement actions conducted by its Divisions of Occupational Safety and Health and Labor Standards Enforcement .

Stocks fell sharply Friday, taking the major indexes down about 1 percent, after investors were disappointed by reports that the Reuters/University of Michigan index of consumer sentiment fell significantly short of expectations for the first part of August.

Asian automakers have increased their share of sales under the $3 billion Cash for Clunkers auto rebate program, according to data released Friday by the federal government.

Commodities sold off Friday, giving back some of their recent gains as new economic data downplayed the threat of inflation but also signaled that consumers are unlikely to increase their spending anytime soon.

WHAT HAPPENED?: Consumer prices were unchanged in July, and over the past 12 months they have fallen 2.1 percent — the sharpest annual decline since a similar drop in the period ending in January 1950.

NEW YORK—-Fitch Ratings has assigned an ‘AA+’ rating to approximately $54,040,000 State of Florida full faith and credit state board of education capital outlay bonds, 2009 series A.

The fear on Wall Street is that nervous consumers are going to short-circuit the economic recovery. Stocks fell sharply Friday, taking the major indexes down about 1 percent, after investors were disappointed by reports that the Reuters/University of Michigan index of consumer sentiment fell significantly short of expectations for the first part of August.

Billionaire Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc reported on Friday a new 1.2 million share investment in Becton Dickinson & Co and an increased stake in Johnson & Johnson , as it boosted exposure to some health-care companies.

Shares of BB&T Corp. rallied on reports it will buy deposits and branches of Colonial BancGroup Inc. in a deal backed by federal regulators to take the struggling lender into receivership.

U.S. consumer prices were flat in July as energy costs retreated following a big surge in June. Over the past 12 months, prices dropped the most in nearly six decades as the recession and lower energy costs kept a lid on inflation.