Forty-two states lost jobs last month, up from 29 in July, with the biggest net payroll cuts coming in Texas, Michigan, Georgia and Ohio.

The world’s major powers are repeatedly breaking their pledges not to erect trade barriers, and there’s no sign the “protectionist juggernaut” will ease as countries recover from the global downturn, an influential monitoring organization said Friday.

Stocks could extend their rally and the Dow industrials may climb above 10,000, should the Fed’s policy-makers and economic data support the view the economy is recovering from recession.

Venezuela will increase public spending to boost economic growth and generate employment in response to the global crisis.

The stock market shifted back into rally mode Friday after analyst upgrades boosted investor optimism about the economy.

The stock market moved back into rally mode Friday after analyst upgrades boosted investor optimism about the economy. The market got a boost from a new economic forecast at Barclay’s Capital, which raised its projection for growth in the nation’s gross domestic product for first three months of next year to 5 percent from 3 percent.

The FBI and Department of Justice are conducting a criminal probe into Bank of America Corp.’s purchase of Merrill Lynch last year, the Charlotte Observer reported Friday.

President Barack Obama’s top economic adviser on Friday pressed for new restrictions on the biggest and most intertwined financial institutions and said the industry should not count on government to rescue them from crisis again.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., told New England business leaders Friday that health care reform is needed — and soon — because escalating health care costs are hobbling American manufacturers, forcing small businesses to drop health care coverage and landing families in bankruptcy court.