Ford Motor Co posted a $1 billion quarterly profit on Monday, defying Wall Street forecasts of a loss, as it cut costs and gained market share, leading it to raise its 2011 outlook to “solidly profitable” from break-even.

NEW YORK—-In the course of routine surveillance, Fitch Ratings downgrades North Las Vegas , Nevada’s $349.1 million general obligation bonds to ‘AA-’ from ‘AA’. The Rating Outlook is Negative.

Health insurer Humana Inc. rode its strong government business in posting a 65 percent jump in third-quarter profit Monday, as bulging membership and premiums from Medicare Advantage overcame a lackluster commercial segment hampered by the weak economy.

Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson is suggesting that critics who think his administration isn’t trying hard enough to lure thousands of jobs away from Missouri are pushing him to be fiscally irresponsible.

NEW YORK—-As part of ongoing surveillance, Fitch Ratings has upgraded its rating to ‘BBB+’ from ‘BBB’ on Pilot Point Independent School District , Texas’ approximately $19 million of outstanding unlimited tax school building bonds, series 2003 and 2005 .

BETHESDA, Md.—-USEC Inc. today provided an update on its effort to address technical and financial concerns that have been raised by the Department of Energy during its review of USEC’s application to the Loan Guarantee Program.

U.S. stocks rose on Monday after another round of solid economic reports but pulled off session highs after a Federal Reserve official’s warning about banks’ loan losses.

Already a father of two in 2006, Martez Fitzpatrick figured supporting a third child wouldn’t much strain his budget. Then the little girl’s mother, a woman with whom he had a previous relationship, died days after giving birth.

Wet weather continues to stall fall harvest in Nebraska and officials say they haven’t seen these kind of delays in decades.

The soggy fall continues to frustrate Minnesota farmers at harvest time. The weekly crop and weather report released Monday says soybeans are 56 percent harvested compared to 96 percent last year and the five-year average of 97 percent.