Morning News Thursday August 23rd 2007
General News: - U.S. stocks retreated, led by miners, steelmakers and manufacturers, on concern that the housing slump will hinder economic growth. - Countrywide Financial Corp. rose as much as 12 percent after Bank of America Corp. bought $2 billion of preferred stock in the company, erasing concern the nation's largest mortgage lender will go bankrupt. - Central bankers from Santiago to Seoul are raising interest rates to fight inflation in a bet that this month's global financial-market turmoil won't derail economic growth enough to contain prices at home. - Goldman Sachs Group Inc.'s Global Equity Opportunities hedge fund rose…