A deal that would prevent more mortgage foreclosures has pulled Wall Street out of a deep early slump and given the market a mostly higher close.

Hoffman Estates-based Sears Holdings expects fourth-quarter profits to beat analysts' estimates.

Mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will extend the suspension of foreclosure sales and evictions from single-family homes through the end of January.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - The economic downturn is causing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to institute a temporary hiring freeze.

Macy's says it will close 11 underperforming stores in 9 states, affecting 960 employees, after one of the weakest holiday seasons in years.

The operating system could be available on new PCs within a year.

Drugstore operator Walgreen Co. says it will cut 1,000 jobs this year, or about 9 percent of corporate management, through a combination of voluntary buyouts and layoffs.

The financing arm of General Motors says that it has made process in restructuring its ailing home mortgage subsidiary, but didn't go as far as to guarantee its future.