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Reuters - U.S. President Barack Obama took to Twitter on Wednesday to press his economic agenda, using the popular social media site to tweak Republicans and advocate for a deal to reduce the deficit.

Reuters - A top Republican floated a tax compromise on Wednesday that could revive hopes for a budget deal as President Barack Obama warned the United States could spiral back into recession if an agreement is not reached soon.

Reuters - New Hampshire Governor John Lynch on Wednesday vetoed a bill that would have ended the state's participation in a regional greenhouse gas reduction program, citing concerns about environmental and economic competitiveness.

AFP - President Barack Obama on Wednesday accused his Republican foes of "toying" with refusing to raise the US debt limit and warned time was short to forge a deal to avert a global economic disaster.

AP - A look at economic developments and activity in major stock markets around the world Wednesday:

Reuters - Signs of economic improvement could bolster President Barack Obama's re-election hopes as he tries to beat back Republican attacks over his failure to create enough jobs.

Reuters - China is close to clinching a top-level post at the International Monetary Fund, sources familiar with the situation said on Wednesday after the IMF's new chief pledged to give more power to emerging economies.

AFP - President Barack Obama warned Wednesday that if the US Congress fails to raise the US debt ceiling it risks triggering a new recession in the world's largest economy.

Reuters - President Barack Obama said on Wednesday the debate over raising the debt ceiling should not be used as a gun against the heads of American people in an effort to secure tax breaks.

Reuters - Slow economic growth, skittish trading clients and regulatory worries that just won't go away -- the second quarter has been a punishing one for Wall Street's top investment banks and their shareholders.

Reuters - Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers, and European banks RBS and UBS were the biggest beneficiaries of very short-term Federal Reserve loans extended at the height of the financial crisis, according to data released on Wednesday.

Reuters - Growth in the U.S. economy's vast services sector remained sluggish in June as new orders fell, but economists said a steady employment reading pointed to job growth later in the year.

AP - The U.S. service sector, which employs nearly 90 percent of the country's work force, expanded for a 19th consecutive month in June. But growth slowed from May, a sign that the economy remains sluggish.

Reuters - Christine Lagarde, the IMF's new chief, pledged on Wednesday to push ahead with reforms to give fast-growing emerging markets greater sway at the global lender.

AFP - The US service sector grew in June but not as much as expected, reflecting the broader sluggishness of the US economic recovery, according to data published Wednesday.

Reuters - China raised interest rates for the third time this year on Wednesday, making clear that taming inflation remains a top priority even as the growth pace of its vast economy gently eases.

Reuters - China pledged on Wednesday to take steps to clean up hundreds of billions of dollars in local government debt, seeking to defuse concerns that a wave of defaults could derail the world's No.2 economy and hobble its state-run banks.

Reuters - China's central bank increased interest rates for the third time this year on Wednesday, making clear that taming inflation is a top priority even when as the economy slows gently.

Reuters - The number of planned layoffs at U.S. firms increased for the second month in a row in June, though downsizing in the first half of the year was at the lowest level since 2000, a report on Wednesday showed.

Reuters - Purchase applications for U.S. home mortgages rose last week, but refinancing activity plunged as interest rates jumped, an industry group said on Wednesday.