AP - Stocks ended a temperamental session moderately higher Wednesday as investors bought up the stocks of energy, materials and consumer-staple companies, but remained cautious about the beleaguered financial sector.

Reuters - Washington Mutual Inc shares sank 30 percent to a 17-year low and the perceived risk of its debt soared on worries the largest U.S. savings and loan will not find a buyer or raise enough capital to combat soaring mortgage losses.

Reuters - Stocks rose more than 1 percent on Wednesday as OPEC's move to shore up oil prices boosted energy shares and Texas Instruments' strong outlook eased fears about technology spending, offsetting anxiety about the banking sector.

AFP - Europe's main stock markets fell Wednesday, while Wall Street rose, as ailing US investment bank Lehman Brothers unveiled huge write-downs linked to the subprime mortgage crisis.

AP - Stocks rose Wednesday, a day after a steep sell-off, as investors digested Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.'s plans to try to sell a majority stake in its investment management business and spin off its troubled mortgage assets.

Reuters - Stocks plunged on Tuesday, driving the benchmark S&P 500 to its worst day in one and a half years, as concern about Lehman Brothers' ability to raise much-needed capital reignited fears about the broader financial sector.

Reuters - U.S. Democrats on Tuesday criticized the multimillion-dollar pay packages awarded to the former chief executives of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac at a time when taxpayers could foot a massive bill for the companies' bailout.

Reuters - The Bush administration's bailout of U.S. mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac frustrated many voters who worried it would set a bad precedent and that well-paid executives would go scot-free.