Mark Brooks

Buffett often takes time out of schedule to meet with college students and answer their questions on life and business.

Though Portugal remains a ward of its bailout creditors and a full economic recovery will still take years, its success in raising 3 billion euros ($3.9 billion) on international markets was a welcome positive sign for European leaders eager to put a three-year financial crisis behind them.

Last week the Energy Department said supplies rose by 6.7 million barrels, contributing to a more than 2 percent drop in the price of oil.

"It's an investment in a market that's very important to us," said Steve Cahillane, the president of Coca-Cola Americas.

Farmers in Wisconsin, the leading cranberry producer, have been working for years to expand their acreage at the request of Ocean Spray and other processors who expected to see strong growth in overseas sales of juice and sweetened, dried cranberries.

The price of corn lost nearly 4 percent Monday, wheat fell 2.5 percent and soybeans were down more than 1 percent.

The push is part of a broader Republican agenda undertaken by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., to expand the party's political appeal to working families.

After meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, Italian Premier Enrico Letta warned that inaction could prompt rising anti-Europe sentiment among voters across the continent, resulting in political punishment for leaders who support the 17 nations that use the euro currency.

The benchmark oil contract for June delivery rose 55 cents to close at $96.16 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It was the third straight day of gains for oil, and the first close above $96 since April 2.

Buffett said bond prices are artificially inflated because the Federal Reserve continues to buy $85 billion of bonds a month, and owners of long-term bonds may see big losses when interest rates eventually rise.

The trips come as Obama, less than four months into his second term, is facing increasing skepticism from political allies and foes alike that he still has the clout to get big things done before the 2014 midterm elections creep up and his ability to set the agenda diminishes.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kathy Surratt-States has until May 29 to decide for either Patriot Coal or the United Mine Workers of America union. A five-day hearing on the matter wrapped up Friday, and it's not clear how soon any ruling may come.

Copper for July delivery jumped 21 cents to $3.3145 a pound Friday. It was the biggest one-day jump since Oct. 24, 2011.

Pedro Passos Coelho said in a televised address to the nation Friday that the new measures are needed to ensure Portugal won't require another bailout.

Capitol Hill aides familiar with the White House changes say the administration has identified almost $5 billion in cuts that can be restored under its reading of the arcane budget rules governing the across-the-board cuts, known as sequestration.

A resident near Doniphan, Mo., found oil leaking in his yard Tuesday. All told, about one barrel -- roughly 42 gallons of crude oil -- leaked from the Pegasus pipeline. The cause remains under investigation.

The Houston-based company said in its weekly report on Friday that 1,403 rigs were exploring for oil and 354 for gas.

"The economy is improving, not at a rapid clip, but this country has done well since 2008 -- certainly compared to the rest of the world," Buffett said to CNBC.

In metals trading, gold for June delivery rose $21.40 to $1,467.60 an ounce, an increase of 1.5 percent. Other metals futures also were higher, recovering from a drop on Wednesday.

In the race to conquer energy technology, Old Energy is winning.