Shares of Aflac Inc. rose more than 6 percent Thursday after the disability and supplemental insurance provider beat Wall Street expectations and showed continued progress in de-risking its investment portfolio.

The Senate's Democratic and Republican leaders traded blame for the debt standoff Thursday, as the House prepared to vote on the GOP's plan to raise the nation's borrowing limit before a Tuesday deadline.

Crisis concerns rising, House Republican leaders shrugged off a White House veto threat and an outbreak of tensions within their own party Wednesday as they built support for legislation to stave off the government default threatened for next week.

Lawmakers in the Michigan House and their staff soon will be paying more for their health insurance, the chamber's Republican leader said Wednesday.