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Today’s headlines
Bargains tempt cautious investors
As the market shows signs of improving, good values may lure those who have been waiting for rock-bottom prices.

Banking veteran heads up Wachovia
With the promotion, Karen Dee becomes the area's highest-profile female bank executive.

Screening jobs draw crowd
Thousands turn out to vie for new federal jobs as TIA works to tighten security.

Former SEC chairman to monitor WorldCom
NEW YORK -- A former Securities and Exchange Commission chairman was appointed court monitor of WorldCom Inc. on Wednesday to ensure that documents aren't destroyed and executives don't receive outsize payouts from the faltering communications giant.

Shifts underscore latest retail rankings
It's said that retailing is all about keeping up with change. The latest ranking of the nation's 100 biggest retailers shows the industry remained in a constant churn the past five years.

Vivendi chairman receives millions
While Messier has criticized golden parachutes, he is set to receive a severance package valued at almost $18-million.

Business digest
JOBLESS CLAIMS DROP: New claims for unemployment benefits dropped to a 15-month low last week, suggesting that companies are reducing layoffs. For the week ending June 29, new applications for unemployment insurance fell by a seasonally adjusted 11,000 to 382,000, the Labor Department reported. Economists viewed the decline as an encouraging sign that the pace of layoffs was stabilizing, but said it would take time for companies to feel more secure and step up hiring.