Centene returned to profitable second-quarter as membership gains in several states helped the Medicaid provider offset a 19 percent rise in medical costs.

The question gnawing at public pension funds over the past few days? Who might prevail in the Detroit bankruptcy? The bondholders or pensioners?

Lobbying expenses for the Financial Industry Regulation Authority came to $450,000 in the first half of 2013, $100,000 less than it spent during the same period of 2012.

Its U.S. Pension Buyout Index showed a drop from 109.5 percent to 109.4 percent of the accounting liability.