The escalating hostility in Washington toward financial speculators is starting to worry people with knowledge about how commodity markets work.

Corn prices reacted to weeks of heavy rains in the Midwest, which have prevented planting in some areas. Soybean prices have also moved higher.

Harry Macklowe, 70, stepped down as chairman and chief executive of Macklowe Associates and was succeeded by his son, William Macklowe.

However, prospects for the plan to provide an extra 13 weeks of benefits to Americans out of work are uncertain in the Senate.

Yahoo is now attempting to conclude a search advertising partnership with rival Google, a person with knowledge of the discussions said.

The organization’s first national marketing campaign, Red Cross Racing, aims to turn the more than 75 million fans of the Nascar circuit into regular blood donors.

Stepping up its campaign to increase competition in energy markets, the European Commission charged the leading suppliers of natural gas in France and Germany with colluding to raise prices.

The struggling investment bank said that two top executives had been removed a few days after it reported a $2.8 billion quarterly loss.

The deal creates a behemoth supplier of machines and materials used by academic and pharmaceutical industry research laboratories, with about $3.5 billion in annual sales.

The struggling investment bank said that two top executives had been removed a few days after it reported a $2.8 billion quarterly loss.