AFP - US President Barack Obama called for new steps to support America's small businesses, saying they are key to rebuilding the economy on a new, stronger foundation and creating jobs.

AP - Regulators shut down a big bank in California on Friday, along with two banks in Georgia and one each in Florida, Minnesota and Washington. That brought to 15 the number of bank failures so far in 2010 atop the 140 shuttered last year in the punishing economic climate.

Investor's Business Daily - 1 The U.S. economy expanded at a 5.7% annual rate, faster than the 4.7% pace Wall St. expected. A smaller drop in inventories contributed 3.4 percentage points to GDP growth. Consumer spending grew a modest 2%, but that topped views. Business spending on software and equipment rose 13.3%. But how strong will the recovery be when the stimulus wanes?

AP - In a remarkably sharp face-to-face confrontation, President Barack Obama chastised Republican lawmakers Friday for opposing him on taxes, health care and the economic stimulus, while they accused him in turn of brushing off their ideas and driving up the national debt.

Investor's Business Daily - Uncertainty over how soon and how fast the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates poses risks for banks, Fed Vice Chairman Donald Kohn said. "Borrowing short and lending long is an inherently risky business strategy," he said. "Intermediaries need to be sure that as the economy recovers, they aren't also hit by the interest rate risk that often accompanies this sort of mismatch in asset and liability maturities."

Reuters - Cisco Systems Inc is expected to post its first quarterly revenue growth in more than a year when it reports results, as customers more confident about the economy upgrade their networks.

Reuters - President Barack Obama on Friday engaged in a rare face-to-face showdown with Republican critics and testily accused them of trying to block his policies while urging them to "join with me" in creating jobs.

AP - President Barack Obama said in his State of the Union Wednesday that "one in 10 Americans still cannot find work." But in nine states the figure is much worse — closer to one in five, according to Labor Department data released Friday.

AP - Massachusetts Sen.-elect Scott Brown said Tuesday he is eager to sit down with President Barack Obama to discuss the message in last week's special election in which he upset the Democrats and claimed the seat held by the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.

Reuters - Consumer confidence in January hit its highest level in nearly a year and a half, but a closely watched housing index showed an unexpected decline in November home prices, giving a mixed picture of the economic recovery.