A Texas appeals court has overturned a verdict against drugmaker Merck in a case involving its withdrawn painkiller Vioxx. AP's Mark Hamrick reports on that and the rest of Wednesday's top business headlines. (May 14)

BusinessMoney Minute: Freddie Mac,Countrywide, RetailersMoney Minute: Freddie Mac,Countrywide, RetailersThe Associated PressMortgage financier has Freddie Mac has reported an $821 million second-quarter loss. The AP's David melendy reports on that and the rest of Wednesday's business headlines. (Aug 6)AP Money MinuteMortgage financier has Freddie Mac has reported an $821 million second-quarter loss. The decrease of one dollar and sixty-three cents per share was more than three-times larger than Wall Street expected. The dismal results come just weeks after the government threw a financial lifeline to Freddie and its sister company Fannie Mae to ward off fears the pair could collapse and take down the U.S. mortgage market. ------------------------------Connecticu t is suing Countrywide Financial, alleging it misled borrowers into taking on risky home loans they could not afford. The state alleges the mortgage giant violated its consumer protection laws and charged unjustified fees to homeowners who defaulted. California, Illinois and Florida have filed similar lawsuits against the lender, whose shareholders recently approved a takeover by Bank of America.-------------------------------- -Retailers are preparing for a difficult back-to-school season and are aggressively slashing prices and amping up marketing in the battle for parents' bucks. Just how skittish shoppers are feeling will be seen tomorrow when many retailers report their July sales for stores open at least a year. A weak back-to-school season may signal trouble for the all-important holiday season, which begins not long afterward.-----------------------I'm David Melendy with AP Money Minute ___ ___, The Associated Press.

How Greedy Corporations Destroy the American Dream -- a short documentary that shows the foreclosure crisis affects everyone. Mo' Money tells the story of borrowers who were lied to and ignored by their mortgage loan servicers, and the people who are working to keep them in their homes. It also reveals how this disaster could have been avoided if regulators and government officials did not ignore predatory lending practices.