The United States added 103,000 jobs in September, an improvement over this summer and just enough to calm fears of a new recession that have hung over Wall Street and the nation for weeks.

Total U.S. money market mutual fund assets rose $4.87 billion to $2.639 trillion for the week that ended Wednesday, the Investment Company Institute said Thursday.

BlackRock Inc. has launched three new mutual funds featuring alternative investment strategies for the firms U.S. retail and high net worth client base.

The Self-Insurance Insurance Institute of America Inc. (SIIA) is blasting allegations by federal regulators and others who contend that employer flight to the self-insured market could leave insured plans stuck with the sickest employees.