Wall Street slipped lower but still held on to most of its recent gains today as investors, their confidence in the economy growing, reacted calmly to oil prices that approached US$60 (€49.36) per barrel.

PFIZER Inc’s 1,800 plus Irish workers are bracing themselves for possible job losses, when the company announces global cost cutting measures next week, which could result in the loss of 10,000 posts worldwide.

THE euro’s alarming rise against the dollar continued yesterday with the single currency breaching the psychologically important barrier of $1.30 for the first time.

Fears over a lack of job growth and a sluggish US economy sent stocks sharply lower today, with the Nasdaq composite index wiping out its gains for all of 2004 and the Dow Jones industrial average nearly following suit.

Wall Street ended a mostly indecisive session with modest gains today as investors, still uneasy about stocks’ high prices, hesitated to extend the previous session’s huge rally.

US stocks began the week indecisively today, closing mixed in the absence of earnings news to guide investors. But the major indexes managed to rebound from sizeable early losses.

OSTEOPOROSIS treatment Fosamax, produced in Tipperary, pushed first-quarter profits at Merck & Co ahead by 5%.

Lured once more by lower prices, buyers returned to Wall Street late today.

Sellers resurfaced on Wall Street late today, unloading stocks following the previous sessions’ buying binge.