1.   Republicans accused the administration of shaving its estimate to blunt congressional momentum toward a tax cut.

2.   The Agriculture Department shaved its estimate of U.S. corn inventories for the third straight month as worldwide demand depletes supplies even faster than previously believed.

3.   Traders expect the department to shave its estimate of the corn crop because of damage caused by the dry weather.

4.   While discounts boost sales, they also erode profits, prompting Kmart Corp. and Talbots to warn of lower-than-expected earnings and analysts to shave estimates.