House having second thoughts on bank law The U.S. House is considering reinstating the Depression-era Glass-Steagall Act, which barred bank holding companies from owning other financial companies, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said. A renewal of the 1933 law "is certainly under discussion" by House members, Hoyer, D-Md., told reporters Tuesday. The Glass-Steagall law was repealed in 1999 to help pave the way for formation of Citigroup Inc. in the $46 billion merger of Citicorp and Travelers Group Inc. "As someone who voted to repeal Glass-Steagall, maybe that was a mistake," said Hoyer. He made the comments when asked whether Congress and President Obama's administration could do more to persuade banks to make more business loans and get credit flowing into the economy.

OPEC sees energy demand rising Oil prices rose Tuesday for the first time in nine days, with OPEC predicting energy demand will rebound faster than it had once thought. Benchmark crude for January delivery added $1.18 to settle at $70.69 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

McDonald's going for free Wi-Fi McDonald's Corp. will soon offer free wireless Internet access at its U.S. restaurants. The world's largest burger chain says that, beginning in January, it will lift the fee it has charged customers for Wi-Fi access. Wi-Fi is available at 11,000 of its 14,000 U.S. locations.

Wells Fargo plans stock sale at $25 a share Wells Fargo & Co. said it will sell stock for $25 per share to help repay $25 billion in government bailout money. The pricing terms were announced a day after Wells Fargo said it would repay the money it received as part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program. Shares rose 17 cents Tuesday to close at $25.66.

Borders to offer e-reader, e-books Bookseller Borders Inc. is entering the electronic book market, partnering with a Canadian digital book company to sell e-books on the Borders.com website. Borders and Kobo Inc., an e-book service spun off from Toronto-based Indigo Books & Music Inc., are creating an e-reader application that will work on most mobile phones and PCs and be available in the second quarter of 2010, the companies said Tuesday.

Saab's days numbered if Spyker doesn't buy If Dutch carmaker Spyker doesn't buy the Saab brand, General Motors Co. will let it die a quiet death by Dec. 31, GM's chairman said Tuesday. Chairman and interim CEO Ed Whitacre Jr. told reporters he has "a sense it's possible" that the Saab sale to Spyker could still go through. "Saab is just about done," Whitacre said. "If we don't find a buyer by the end of the month, we're going to close it."

Job-loss worries hold housing index down The National Association of Home Builders said Tuesday its housing market index fell by one point to 16 this month, reflecting concern that job losses and a slow economic recovery will continue to stifle demand for new homes despite the extension of a federal tax credit for buyers. The latest reading is the lowest since June, when it fell to 15. The index reflects a survey of 514 residential developers nationwide. Index readings below 50 indicate negative sentiment about the market. April 2006 was its last time above 50.

Judge dismisses last of Broadcom charges U.S. District Judge Cormac J. Carney Tuesday dismissed all charges against the remaining two defendants in the government's securities fraud case against chipmaker Broadcom Corp., citing what he called "shameful" prosecutorial misconduct and a lack of evidence. The dismissals elicited gasps from the courtroom and tears from Broadcom's former CFO William J. Ruehle and former CEO Henry T. Nicholas III , who had faced the prospect of years in prison for their alleged crimes. The judge challenged the government to defend its separate narcotics indictment against Nicholas, who is set to go on trial next year.

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