Wall Street gave up a big early advance and closed mixed today after oil prices closed above 100 for the first time and stoked fears that inflation will stymie an already troubled economy.

Wall Street retrenched today, closing sharply lower as investors showed their cautious side and cashed in profits from the market's best week in nearly five years.

Stocks capped a week of huge gains with a sizeable advance today after Wall Street set aside some anxiety over news on jobs and focused on Microsoft’s bid for Yahoo and a possible rescue plan for the troubled bond insurance sector.

Wall Street ended a painful week with another decline today as skittish investors unable to hold on to much optimism about the economy drew little comfort from President George Bush’s stimulus plan.

Eurotunnel bosses will today set the terms for talks with creditors about the restructuring of its £6.2bn (€9bn) debt.