Reuters - U.S. stocks rose on Thursday, led by financials, after RBC Capital Markets said it sees banks outperforming the market for multiple years, and energy stocks gained as oil rose almost 5 percent.

AP - Traders are betting improving prospects for banks and rising energy prices will pay off.

AP - The problem with rising expectations is they get tougher to beat.

Reuters - Stocks tumbled on Wednesday, halting a four-day winning streak, as falling oil prices hit energy shares, while less upbeat economic reports rekindled worries about recovery prospects.

AFP - Stocks in London rebounded slightly at the open on Thursday as investors expected the Bank of England to keep interest rates unchanged at 0.50 percent.

AP - Asian stock markets fell Thursday after weaker-than-expected economic figures in the world's largest economy led investors to take profits from a recent advance. But European shares traded higher.

AFP - Europe's leading stock markets tumbled in morning trade Wednesday, hit by falls to heavyweight mining and energy groups, while London was also affected by a recovering pound, traders said.

Reuters - European stocks fell and Wall Street was set for a weaker start on Wednesday as investors turned cautious after economic optimism pushed world stocks to fresh 7-1/2 month highs and sterling to 2009 peaks earlier.

AP - Profit-taking helped push European stock markets lower Wednesday, with Britain's FTSE 100 index further undermined by mounting uncertainty about the future of the Labour government and Prime Minister Gordon Brown in particular.