Ryan Faughnder

The big news of the day is Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke's much-anticipated speech at Jackson Hole. Also, we fact-check a misleading campaign ad about welfare.

Citigroup pays up for past deeds. Earlier this week, we learned the SEC is investigating Ally Financial for its own mortgage practices around that time.

Despite, or perhaps because of, the historic drought in the Midwest, farmers are making big profits. Isaac shuts down Louisiana's ports. And all those smartphones come with a cost: more than ever, we're tethered to our jobs.

Housing is up, consumer confidence is down. How do you feel about the economy?

Among our main stories today are the wrap-up of earnings season, the potential fallout from the recent Apple vs. Samsung patent decision and the popularity of 3D movies in China.

Will the "Lance" brand survive? Usually August means panic on the stock market, but this year we've seen the S&P 500 hit a four-year high and Apple stock rocket to over $670 a share. Have we bucked the trend? And an analyst has a model that predicts an Obama victory in November.

Home health care aides top the list of the fastest-growing careers in the U.S. with an expected 69 percent increase by 2020. Physical therapy and veterinary techs not far behind.

Postal service workers top list of shrinking careers, followed by careers easily replaced by technology and the Internet.

Waiters, bartenders and other service industry careers top the list for lowest paid, but the work is fairly easy to get if you need it.

Looking to climb to the top of the economic food chain? Then consider a future in one of these top-paid careers.