Good News, Quarterly Results | featured news

The number of banks with risky levels of bad loans rose slightly in the latest quarter, even as bank profits rose sharply. Check your bank or credit union in the BankTracker.

General Electric Co called the end to its two-year slump on Friday, reporting earnings that beat Wall Street forecasts and saying profit should rise through the rest of 2010.

The bank, which is often considered a bellwether, said that it had clawed back to profitability in the first quarter, after two consecutive periods of losses.

Retailers Target Corp and Saks Inc posted better-than-expected quarterly results on Tuesday as they clamped down on expenses and inventory to offset falling sales, sending shares higher.

Freddie Mac reported a surprising profit in the second quarter, but the profit turned to a loss for shareholders after the company paid the U.S. government a $1.1 billion dividend.

The company, reporting its first profit since 2007, said quarterly net income was $1.8 billion.