AP - Mark Twain, Edith Wharton and other boldfaced names among the dead have something in common with living Americans in these hard financial times:

Reuters - Record-high crude oil costs sent wholesale inflation soaring in May, but a key gauge of underlying price pressures likely moved ahead at a slower pace than the month before, according to a Reuters poll.

Reuters - The Dow briefly turned positive on Monday and the Nasdaq rose more than 1 percent as oil prices reversed an earlier climb, providing investors with some comfort following data that revived concerns about the economy.

Reuters - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke does not intend to raise interest rates because he is more worried about soaring oil prices slowing global growth than he is about their firing inflation, the Washington Post said on Monday.

Reuters - Rising spending on U.S. Social Security and Medicare programs, if unchecked, will inflate national debt and the budget defect, ultimately affecting interest rates and economic growth, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Monday.

Reuters - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned on Monday that rising U.S. government spending on health care risks triggering runaway budget deficits that could put economic stability in danger.

Reuters - Policy- makers around the globe declared soaring inflation a top threat on Monday, with pressure rising for central bank interest rate increases amid protests against higher costs of living.

AP - Bolstering the performance of the U.S. health care system is one of the biggest challenges facing the country, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Monday.

AP - Crude oil futures swung wildly on Monday, rising to a record and then tumbling as investors wrestled with whether they should put stock in Saudi Arabia's promise to boost production. Retail gas prices rose to a record $4.08 a gallon.

Reuters - Stocks closed higher on Friday, helped by a government report that showed underlying price pressures rose moderately in May, easing fears that inflation would force a near-term rise in interest rates.

AP - Wall Street ended a turbulent week with a sharp gain Friday after government readings on inflation and a drop in oil prices eased worries about the effect of rising prices on consumers. The advance lifted the Dow Jones industrial average more than 165 points, and the three major indexes turned in a mixed performance for the week.