Ken Stanford

Americans, who're increasingly optimistic about improving economic conditions, are expected to spend at a more rapid clip during the upcoming holiday shopping season than they did last year. But that could change if the partial government shutdown that has forced about 800,000 federal workers off the job continues.

The stock market is closing slightly lower as investors weigh the possibility that political gridlock may keep the government partially closed for some time.

National Security Agency chief Gen. Keith Alexander revealed Wednesday that his spy agency once tested whether it could track Americans' cell phone locations, in addition to its practice of sweeping broad information about calls made.

The pressure is on for the federal government and states running their own health insurance exchanges to get the systems up and running after overloaded websites and jammed phone lines frustrated consumers for a second day as they tried to sign up for coverage using the new marketplaces.

Georgia Power executives asked Wednesday to raise prices by nearly $8 a month for typical residential customers because the electric company said its costs are rising while sales remain slumped following a deep recession and tepid recovery.

Delta Air Lines Inc. said a key measure of revenue rose 5.5 percent in September as traffic rose.

President Barack Obama summoned congressional leaders to the White House on Wednesday as a partial government shutdown entered a second day with little sign of a breakthrough to get hundreds of thousands of people back to work - and a few Republicans seem ready to blink.