Forbes.com: Work News A Woman's Guide To Making More Money Failing to negotiate your salary could cost you more than $500,000 throughout your career. Are Women Better Entrepreneurs? Forty-six percent of private companies are owned by women. That's great for the economy, but it may mean trouble for corporate America. The Week Ahead: July 31-Aug. 4 Murdoch brings pols together; Burger King, Kodak and International Paper report earnings. Leadership In The Wild Adventure racers hike, bike and navigate hundreds of miles of treacherous terrain. What they can teach you about working under pressure. Giving At The Office Without Going Broke It's a classic dilemma: To chip in or not to chip in. How to handle office donations with grace.

 

US officials to visit China for talks (AFP) AFP - US National Economic Council chairman Larry Summers will visit China next week for talks on bilateral relations, China announced Thursday. Bernanke says 'too-big-to-fail' must end (AFP) AFP - The most important lesson to come from the financial crisis is that banks must not be allowed to become "too-big-to-fail," Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said Thursday. Bernanke takes blame for muddled message on Lehman (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said he was partly to blame for leaving the wrong impression that the central bank could have saved Lehman Brothers from failure in 2008. ECB holds rates, extends liquidity lifeline (Reuters) Reuters - The European Central Bank held interest rates at a record low on Thursday and extended its liquidity safety-net in response to a lopsided recovery and worries about vulnerable banks. Instant View: Pending home sales rise in July (Reuters) Reuters - Pending sales of previously owned U.S. homes rose unexpectedly in July, an industry group said on Thursday, suggesting a tax credit-related housing market decline was close to bottoming. Pending home sales rise 5.2 percent in July (Reuters) Reuters - Pending sales of previously owned U.S. homes rose unexpectedly in July, an industry group said on Thursday, suggesting a tax credit-related housing market decline was close to bottoming. Data shows jobless claims drop, retail sales rise (AP) AP - A weak economy got a little lift Thursday with new data suggesting companies aren't pursuing mass layoffs and stores are a little busier. Summary Box: Program puts tax refunds on plastic (AP) AP - FASTER REFUNDS: The Treasury Department is exploring ways to help people without bank accounts collect their tax refunds more quickly. A pilot program launching next year will let some consumers get the money on cards, rather than waiting for paper checks. It could expand from there. Communities key in foreclosure fight: Fed officials (Reuters) Reuters - Two top U.S. Federal Reserve officials on Thursday called for a more community-focused approach to the country's ongoing foreclosure crisis, which is weighing on its economic recovery. Highlights: Bernanke's testimony to financial crisis panel (Reuters) Reuters - The following are highlights from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's testimony on Thursday to the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission on the problem of financial institutions that are "too big too fail." Productivity falls while labor costs increase (AP) AP - American companies experienced the largest drop in workplace productivity this spring in nearly four years and a rise in labor costs, suggesting businesses may no longer be able to squeeze more work out leaner staffs. Discounts spur surprising Aug. retail sales gains (AP) AP - This year's back-to-school season isn't as big a bust for retailers as they feared — or as last year's — but it's not great either. US jobless claims fall for second straight week (AFP) AFP - The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits fell faster than expected last week, extending a two-week decline, government data showed Thursday. Economic data dampen fears of new recession (Reuters) Reuters - Pending sales of previously owned U.S. homes rebounded unexpectedly in July and new claims for jobless benefits fell last week, helping dampen fears the economy could face a double dip recession. Mortgage rates hit decades-low of 4.32 percent (AP) AP - Mortgage rates fell to the lowest level in decades for the tenth time in 11 weeks, as investors worried about the economy.