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.

Reuters - Former New York Stock Exchange chief Richard Grasso won another big victory on Tuesday in his efforts to keep his $187.5 million pay package, with a court throwing out state officials' remaining claims against him.

AP - Wall Street began the third quarter Tuesday with a moderate decline as rising oil prices and weak economic data made it clear the country can expect no respite anytime soon from its morass of financial problems.

Reuters - Stocks cut losses on Tuesday, with both the S&P and the Nasdaq (.IXIC) turned positive after General Motors Corp reported stronger-than-expected June sales, helping temper worries about the impact of high fuel prices on corporate earnings.

Reuters - The Dow and S&P 500 were little changed on Monday on the final trading day of the second quarter as record oil boosted energy shares, offsetting weak financial stocks amid nagging concerns of further credit losses.

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.