| | U.S. consumer confidence hits five-month high; house prices rise | | WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S consumer confidence surged to a five-month high in August as households grew increasingly upbeat about the labor market while house prices rose further in June, suggesting a recent acceleration in consumer spending was likely to be sustained. | | | | | Buffett becomes Bank of America's top shareholder | | (Reuters) - Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc has become the largest shareholder of Bank of America Corp by exercising its right to acquire 700 million shares at a steep discount, more than tripling an investment it made six years ago. | | | | | S&P sees U.S. keeping AA+ rating if it avoids default | | NEW YORK (Reuters) - Standard & Poor's said on Tuesday the United States would maintain its AA+ credit rating, its second highest, as long as the federal government avoids a default even if it does not increase the debt ceiling in a timely manner. | | | | | | | | | Related Video | | | | | | | | | | | Counterparties is a curated snapshot of the best finance news and commentary around the web. Register Today | | | | | | News you can use with actionable, timely advice for managing your financial life, including retirement, taxes, real estate, education and more. Register Today | | | | » » MORE NEWSLETTERS | | |