By Ian Mckendry

WASHINGTON (MNI) - The AFL-CIO is holding a rally in New York city Thursday, -- the group will ask for more funding for public sector jobs as well as "Wall Street reform."

"Wall Street has gotten its bailouts. Now it's time for Main Street to get some immediate help," an AFL-CIO spokesman said.

By Courtney Tower

OTTAWA (MNI) - Bank of Canada Gov. Mark Carney said Thursday the Greek crisis, and the troubles in Portugal, Spain and Ireland, left without a credible solution will drive interest rates higher, but rising debt levels in other advanced economies presents the biggest risk to global recovery.

Carney told the Senate Banking Committee that left unresolved, "one can expect an increase in longer term interest rates on a global level."

WASHINGTON (MNI) - The following is the text of a release by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association Thursday, April 29:

SIFMA Survey Expects Total Net Treasury Issuance Decrease as Confidence in Economic Recovery Grows

By Dennis Pettit

NEW YORK, April 29 (MNI) - The dollar held a neutral tone vs. the euro and the yen in muted dealings Thursday, the euro able to regain some modest poise amid an absence of bad news, traders said.

Euro-dollar was changing hands around $1.3240 in afternoon dealings Thursday, about the middle of a narrow $1.3220/80 U.S. hours range, the European currency beginning the U.S. session around $1.3255.

By Yali N'Diaye

WASHINGTON (MNI) - Republican lawmakers Thursday paralleled the lack of transparency in Greek sovereign debt to the way the U.S. government is handling the debt of government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

By refusing to bring the mortgage giants' debt onto the federal budget -- so the federal debt remains within the statutory limit -- while affirming it fully stands behind the GSEs, the government is creating a "shadow" debt, they said

By John Shaw

WASHINGTON (MNI) - The Senate will come into session at 12:15 p.m. Thursday and will turn to a debate on financial services legislation.

After weeks of public acrimony, scorching rhetoric and three test votes this week designed to put pressure on Republicans, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was able to win GOP approval Wednesday evening to formally begin the regulatory debate.

WASHINGTON (MNI) - The following is the text of a statement by San Francisco President Janet Yellen Thursday following the announcement by the White House of her nommination to fill the post of outgoing Fed Vice Chairman Donald Kohn:

Following the White House announcement today that President Obama has asked her to serve as Vice Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, Janet L. Yellen, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco said:

By Yali N'Diaye

WASHINGTON (MNI) - Financial industry experts and scholars said Thursday trading in credit default swaps is not putting pressure on Greek government debt and warn Congress against regulation that would overly restrict such trading, as it could "easily backfire."