Dow opens at 10,786.85. U.S. unemployment is 4.2 percent.

GS Industries Inc. of Charlotte files Chapter 11, becoming the eighth U.S. steelmaker in three months to seek bankruptcy protection.

First Union chief Ken Thompson adds chairman to his title; Ed Crutchfield retires.

SPX Corp. of Michigan agrees to buy Charlotte's United Dominion Industries Ltd. The $1.83 billion deal paves way for SPX, moving to Charlotte, to become the city's seventh Fortune 500 company.

Ten-digit dialing becomes mandatory in the Charlotte area.

First Union Corp. and Wachovia Corp. say they will merge.

Hugh McColl Jr. retires as chairman and chief executive of Bank of America Corp. Ken Lewis assumes both titles.

SunTrust Banks Inc. of Atlanta makes rival bid for Wachovia, setting off a fierce battle with First Union.

Manufacturers announce plans to cut 2,169 N.C. jobs, plus 445 in Rock Hill.

Charlotte voters reject a plan to build an uptown arena for Hornets, casting the team's future in doubt.

Carolina BroadBand Inc., which wanted to build a rival cable network to Time Warner Cable Inc. in Charlotte, lays off most of its staff and delays construction, blaming the economy.

Justice Department rejects plan to merge US Airways with United, saying the $12.3 billion deal would reduce competition, raise fares and harm passengers.

Wachovia shareholders approve First Union's bid, handing SunTrust defeat.

Springs Industries Inc. shareholders approve a plan for one of the area's largest and oldest textile companies to go private. The Fort Mill, S.C., company says it intends to double its revenue and become the industry's heavyweight - within five years.

Utilities commissions in both Carolinas say they are investigating allegations that Duke Power Co. may have overcharged ratepayers. A Duke whistle-blower tipped the agencies. Duke says mistakes were made but denies wrongdoing.

Terrorists slam two jetliners into the World Trade Center, another into the Pentagon. A fourth crashes in rural Pennsylvania. Of the estimated 3,000 killed, nine worked for Charlotte-based Wachovia, Bank of America and Royal & SunAlliance.

The New York Stock Exchange reopens after the Sept. 11 attack. Investors sell but are controlled: Dow falls 684.81 points, or 7.1 percent.

US Airways says it will lay off 11,000 and cut its schedule 23 percent, a result of the attacks.

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association says it will move to Charlotte in three to four years. Its new location - Billy Graham Parkway, of course.

The National Bureau of Economic Research says United States is in a recession, which began in March.

The Federal Reserve cuts its fed funds rate for the 11th time, to 1.75 percent, its fourth cut since the Sept. 11 attacks.