AP - Wall Street ended a grueling first half quietly Monday, closing mixed as investors again based their trades on what has become the dominant force in the market: the price of oil. The major indexes closed out the first six months of 2008 with double digit declines, and are perilously close to the levels of a bear market.

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.

Reuters - Most Asian stock markets were down on Tuesday as oil and food prices showed no signs of defusing stagflation fears, particularly with soybean prices at a record and oil above $141 a barrel.

AFP - Europe's main markets showed mixed fortunes on Monday in more volatile trading as oil prices struck new record highs and the euro remained strong.

Reuters - Stocks rose on Monday as record crude oil prices lifted energy shares on the final trading day of the month and the second quarter, offsetting a financial sector sell-off on fears of further credit losses.

AP - Wall Street turned mixed Monday in the final session of an arduous first half, as the price of oil pulled off its high and temporarily relieved some of the market's inflation worries.

AP - The year is nearly halfway over, and Wall Street appears to be on even shakier ground than when it began 2008. And this shortened week ahead of the Fourth of July holiday is unlikely to bring the market enough proof that the economic climate is improving.

AFP - Approaching the halfway point through 2008, Wall Street is mired in worries about a sputtering US economy and surging energy costs as the market braces for second-quarter corporate results.

Reuters - Oil prices rose to a record near $143 a barrel on Friday as a drop in global equities markets sent fresh investors into commodities.

AFP - Oil prices briefly struck fresh record highs over 142 dollars on Friday as the US dollar remained weak, and as world stock markets tumbled amid economic jitters marking the end of a volatile week.

Reuters - Stocks fell on Friday, pushing the Dow to the brink of a bear market, hounded by concerns that record oil prices and the seemingly endless credit crisis will further damage the economy.

Reuters - As the Federal Reserve and securities regulators neared an agreement on investment banks, leaders of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee on Friday warned them not to get ahead of Congress with any Wall Street reforms.

AP - Wall Street ended a depressing week with another big loss on Friday, with the Dow Jones industrials falling more than 100 points amid ever-escalating worries about high oil prices and fallout from the credit crisis. The major indexes are all down more than 3 percent for the week.