LINDA WERTHEIMER, host: NPR's business news starts with a foreclosure investigation.</s>LINDA WERTHEIMER, host: Forty-nine states have banded together to investigate the foreclosure practices at banks. Some of the nation's biggest mortgage lenders, including Bank of America, GMAC and JPMorgan Chase have already halted foreclosures. They've acknowledged that employees signed off on thousands of foreclosures without properly reviewing the paperwork.</s>LINDA WERTHEIMER, host: Lawyers representing homeowners also allege that some lenders have actually falsified documents in order to force people from their homes. The states want lenders to revamp their foreclosure practices and offer more help to homeowners.</s>RENEE MONTAGNE, host: Corn prices hit a two-year high on Tuesday. A bushel of corn for delivery in December now costs $5.79. The price has surged 17 percent since last Friday, when the government reported that this year's harvest will be smaller than expected. That's due to heavy rains in June and dry weather in August. A drought and wildfires in Russia this past summer have also cut into global corn supplies.
Up to 40 states plan to band together to investigate foreclosure practices at banks. Some of the nation's biggest mortgage lenders have halted foreclosures, acknowledging that employees signed off on thousands of foreclosures without properly reviewing the paperwork. On Tuesday, corn prices hit a two-year high. Prices surged 17 percent since Friday, when the government reported this year's harvest will be smaller than expected.