AP - European markets fell and Asian markets were mixed Friday as investors digested uneven readings on the U.S. economy and oil prices that remained near records. Japan posted its 12th straight day of losses.

Reuters - The euro fell and shares and government bonds rallied on Thursday as the European Central Bank poured cold water on speculation of further aggressive interest rate hikes after raising them as expected.

AP - Wary of higher energy and commodity prices, the European Central Bank raised its benchmark interest rate Thursday by a quarter percentage point to 4.25 percent, a move it hopes will help curtail rising inflation in the 15 countries that use the euro.

Reuters - A global sell-off knocked world shares to a five-month low on Thursday as surging oil fanned concerns about inflation and slowing growth, just hours ahead of an expected euro zone interest rate hike and a key U.S. jobs report.

Reuters - The second half of 2008 got off to a brutal start for equity investors on Tuesday as worries about the banking sector battered European stocks while inflation fears increased with oil over $142 a barrel.

AFP - Blue chips remained at lower levels midafternoon, dragged down by the banking sector amid fears of profit warnings, with Wall Street lower on the back of ongoing concerns over rising oil prices.

AFP - Much has changed at the Frankfurt stock exchange in 20 years but as its Dax index celebrates the milestone it remains the barometer for German economic well-being.

AFP - Fast asleep in the forests of the Rhodope mountains, this former miners' town, like a lot of other near-forgotten places in Bulgaria, is hoping for an EU financial kiss to waken from its slumber and start pulling in the tourists.

AFP - Confidence in the combined economy of the 15 nations sharing the euro slumped to a three-year low in June, according to a widely-watched EU survey released on Friday.

AFP - European stocks mostly fell on Friday as oil prices shot to record levels, but losses were less than falls on other global markets hit by soaring crude costs and a weak US economy.