 |  | 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 |  | |