DETROIT - General Motors is starting to tell its workers about plans to temporarily close most of its factories for more than two months to control inventories due to sagging sales.

United Auto Workers Local 276 President Enrique Flores in Arlington, Texas, says he was told on Thursday that his factory will close for nine weeks starting May 11.

NEW YORK - US STOCKS rose on Thursday in hesitant trade as an upbeat profit report from iPod and iPhone maker Apple offset fears about the economic outlook and the auto sector.

The Dow climbed 70.49 points (0.89 per cent) to 7,957.06 at the closing bell, after drifting in and out of positive territory for much of the session.

CHARLOTTE (North Carolina) - NEW York's attorney general says government officials pressured Bank of America's CEO Ken Lewis to complete the bank's purchase of Merrill Lynch and threatened his job security.

A letter from New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's office released on Thursday said Mr Lewis testified in February that former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke threatened to oust Bank of America's management if the bank tried to back out of buying the investment bank.