ATLANTA (Reuters) - Lipsticks tested by a U.S. consumer rights group found that more than half contained lead and some popular brands including Cover Girl, L'Oreal and Christian Dior had more lead than others, the group said on Thursday.

  

  Is there too much health care? Consumer Reports says yes in citing over $2 trillion in national health care costs and pointing out 10 of the most over-prescribed treatments.

  OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - ConAgra Foods Inc. voluntarily stoppedproduction Tuesday at the Missouri plant that makes its Banquet potpies after health officials said the pies may be linked to 139cases of salmonella in 30 states.

  NEW YORK (AP) - Business software maker Oracle Corp. said Fridayit has proposed to buy software maker BEA Systems Inc. for morethan $6.66 billion (euro4.69 billion), in a bid to expand itsproduct portfolio and better compete with chief rival SAP AG.

  

  WASHINGTON (AP) - More than 90,000 children's products, mostimported by J.C. Penney Co. Inc., were recalled Thursday forcontaining dangerous levels of lead, a government safety groupannounced.

  NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) - General Electric Co. said Friday itsthird-quarter earnings rose 14 percent as its energy andtransportation businesses did well.

  NEW YORK (Oct. 12) - Citigroup Inc, which last week forecast 60 percent declines in third-quarter earnings amid bad debt losses, said it was promoting Vikram Pandit to head banking, markets, and alternative investments, and that trading head Thomas Maheras was leaving.

  WASHINGTON (Oct. 11) - Congressional Democrats have reached a compromise on allowing two government-sponsored mortgage companies to increase their debt holdings in an effort to help financially struggling homeowners.