Filings rose 33 percent in the third quarter to the highest number since 2005, government data show, as rising unemployment and tight credit made it more difficult for consumers and businesses to stay current on their debts.

Fresh economic reports painted a picture of a gradual economic recovery as consumer spending rose and durable orders unexpectedly fell. The employment picture strengthened as jobless claims tumbled more than expected.

The Miles family is changing it up this year in the annual American race to make it to the table for Thanksgiving dinner. Instead of booking plane tickets, they opted to take the 1,100-mile trip by train.

Crude oil prices rose more than 2 percent Wednesday, supported by lower-than-expected builds in U.S. oil inventories last week, a weak U.S. dollar and gains on Wall Street.

Welcome to the jobless recovery. Unemployment claims have hit states so hard that they are raising taxes on businesses at a time when employers can least afford it.

The Recovery Act has about $5 billion set aside for what's called weatherization: a top-to-bottom effort to make homes more energy efficient. In terms of trickle down,  federal funds go to a state agencies, which allocate money to  local non-profit agencies, which then farm out the work to local contractors.

Boeing and Duke Energy are among the companies awarded stimulus funds today as part of $4.5 billion set aside for enhancing smart grid technology.

Federal Reserve officials are increasingly confident in a durable recovery for the U.S. economy, even though they do not see employment picking up soon, according to minutes from their November meeting released Tuesday.

David Rosenberg became the latest well-known economist to predict doom, telling CNBC the US economy is mired "in a form of Depression."

Americans' confidence in the economy improved slightly in November, but they remain gloomy amid a weak job market heading into the holiday season.

David Rosenberg became the latest well-known economist to predict doom and gloom, telling CNBC that the US economy is mired "in a form of Depression."

U.S. home prices rose for the fifth straight month and posted the second quarterly increase, but the pace of appreciation slowed and was less than expected, according to Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller indexes.

The economy grew more slowly than initially thought in the third quarter, according to data that hinted at a lackluster recovery.

President Barack Obama assured Americans that boosting jobs was a top priority, but gave no specifics about how to meet this goal that some economists say warrants more government spending.

Stocks snapped a three-day losing streak Monday after an encouraging report on existing-home sales and a pullback in the dollar.