WASHINGTON — The leaders of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank appealed to their 189 member countries Oct. 18 to resolve widening disagreements on trade and other issues, warning that the divisions threatened to make the consequences of a global slowdown even worse.

WASHINGTON — U.S. wholesale prices edged up a slight 0.1% in August as energy prices took a big plunge, a further sign that inflation is remaining tame.