AP – Retail sales posted a surprising increase in February as consumers did not let major snowstorms stop them from storming the malls. The advance, the biggest since November, provided hope that the recovery from the Great Recession is gaining momentum.

Reuters – President Barack Obama plans to nominate San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Janet Yellen, a respected policy dove, to be vice chairman of the central bank, a source familiar with the process said on Thursday.

AP – Top Democrats say they are resolving disputes over President Barack Obama’s health overhaul plan, but they face decisions on subsidizing coverage and are still hunting votes to push the vast package through Congress.

AP – A group of Republican senators is questioning high salaries and expensive travel bills for executives at the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, raising issues that could jeopardize millions in federal funding for the national charity.

Reuters – Unprecedented discounts after a series of damaging recalls boosted Toyota Motor Corp’s U.S. sales in early March, as U.S. regulators weighed new auto safety measures.

AP – The Obama administration accused China on Thursday of abusing its citizens’ rights and maintaining currency policies that cost millions of U.S. jobs, a double-barrel attack that comes amid a growing willingness to confront and even antagonize the Asian power.

Reuters – Unprecedented discounts after a series of damaging recalls boosted Toyota Motor Corp’s U.S. sales in early March, as U.S. regulators weighed new auto safety measures.

AP – House Democratic leaders Thursday abandoned a long struggle to strike a compromise on abortion in their ranks, gambling that they can secure the support for President Barack Obama’s sweeping health care legislation with showdown votes looming as early as next week.

AP – Americans are recovering their shrunken wealth — gradually. Household net worth rose last quarter, mainly because the healing economy boosted stock portfolios. But the gain was slight. And it was less than in the previous two quarters.

Reuters – Chances of a broad overhaul of U.S. financial regulation dimmed on Thursday after bipartisan Senate talks collapsed, jeopardizing a top Obama administration priority and boosting bank share prices.