Three of Europe’s biggest oil explorers are among companies being questioned by European antitrust regulators about potential manipulation of prices in the €2.6tn annual global crude market.

World stock markets rose today after talks over Greece’s financial crisis ended with an agreement on how to reduce its debt load.

Asian stock markets rose today after talks over Greece’s financial crisis ended with an agreement on how to reduce its debt load, paving the way for the cash-strapped country to receive the next instalment of a bailout loan.

The wholesale gas market sees the purchase and sale of energy products - electricity and natural gas – by energy producers and energy retailers.

Oil prices rose today after a Superstorm Sandy caused havoc across the north-eastern US and threatened to inflict more damage inland.

US petrol at the pump may have reached its annual peak the earliest in 14 years, amid rising oil supply, easing Middle East tensions and the takeover of refineries that were threatened by closure.

Asian stock markets fell today, hit by a weaker-than-expected report on US durable goods orders and signs of slower economic growth in the UK.

World stock markets were mixed today, as encouraging signs about the US economy were tempered by investors’ fears that time was running out for Greece to fix its debt crisis.

Asian stock markets fell today as Japanese business confidence dropped and fears grew of a global economic slowdown.

World stocks rebounded today as pledges by European officials to resolve the region’s debt problems once and for all helped soothe market jitters.

Asian stocks markets were thrown into a tailspin today as flustered investors fearing a possible global recession continued to flee stocks.

Oil prices are tumbling after Libya’s foreign minister declared a ceasefire and said the government would stop military operations.

The London market was dragged down today by fears over the impact higher oil prices will have on inflation and global economic growth.

Supermarket giant Tesco said it was cutting the cost of petrol in the UK today as oil prices fell to their lowest level for a year.

Global recession fears sent oil prices to their lowest level for almost a year today.

The price of oil fell to its lowest level for eight months today as fears over the global economy deepened.

Crude oil futures briefly sank below the psychologically important US$100 a barrel mark for the first time in five months today, showing that investors believe a worsening global economy will continue to drive down demand for some time in the US and elsewhere.

Wall Street rallied today after better-than-expected quarterly results from JPMorgan Chase and two other Dow Jones industrials raised investors' hopes that companies and the economy are indeed recovering from the protracted global credit crisis.

Oil prices set a new record high above US$102 a barrel today, sparking fears of more pain for motorists on UK forecourts.

Oil prices returned above 100 US dollars a barrel today as traders continued to worry about the prospect of a cut in global production.

EIA data released yesterday revealed a larger than expected crude stock build of 7mio barrels, as opposed to a consensus forecast of around 2.5mio barrels.

The price of gold soared to its highest level yet today as investors fretted over the prospect of further cuts in US interest rates.

The price of oil stood above 96 US dollars a barrel today as dealers awaited a report expected to show a further fall in US crude stockpiles.

Oil prices rose above US$97 a barrel today after the US government reported larger-than-expected declines in crude and heating oil stockpiles.

Wall Street shot higher today, lifting the Dow Jones industrials nearly 320 points after reassuring news from Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. quelled some of the market’s worst fears about the credit crisis and the economy. A plunge in the price of oil gave investors further incentive to buy.

US petrol prices set more records at the pump today, while petrol and oil futures prices turned mixed after the previous session’s big advance.

Market confidence was dealt a double blow today as investors fretted over US interest rates and the impact of BP’s decision to shut a key oil field.

OIL hit a record high above $78 a barrel yesterday as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon heated up, while US stocks slid on investors’ worries about the Middle East conflict and General Electrics’ poor outlook.

Brent crude continued to trade close to the April highs yesterday in spite of low volume in the run up to the Independence Day holiday in the US today.

US CRUDE oil futures ended more than a dollar higher yesterday as analysts warned the death of Iraq’s al-Qaida leader Musab al-Zarqawi on Thursday would not end threats to Iraq’s battered oil industry.

Oil prices climbed more than one dollar a barrel today and settled at their highest level in more than seven months as geopolitical friction kept traders nervous about supplies.

Suicide bombers in explosives-laden cars attempted to attack an oil processing facility that handles about two-thirds of Saudi Arabia’s petroleum output today, but were stopped when guards opened fire on them, causing the cars to explode, officials said.

US stocks finished mixed today as interest rate worries and a legal setback for Merck & Co countered momentum from a possible multi-billion-dollar acquisition by ConocoPhillips.

CRUDE oil prices dropped sharply yesterday, the second straight day of declines, as traders welcomed news that Hurricane Rita had weakened, suggesting that damage to refinery capacity in the Gulf could be less severe than originally feared.

Reports of extensive damage and photos of fallen oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico sent crude oil prices surging above $70 today, as the realities of the long-term damage from Hurricane Katrina began to sink in.

Simon Webb, Reuters

TRADING on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) in Dublin will come to an end next week.

WITH oil prices pushing new record highs, Wall Street analysts say the market may need to see an easing of that pressure for stocks to rise this week.

WORLD oil prices touched $66 yesterday, creating a fresh record and continuing the two-year upward spiral that has plagued financial markets with threats of a global economic slowdown.

Oil prices hit a new high today after markets were unsettled by the US government shutting its embassy in Saudi Arabia because of security concerns.

OIL prices drifted higher yesterday despite only limited supply disruptions caused by Hurricane Emily in the Gulf of Mexico.

London oil traders famed for stripy blazers and frenzied hand signals took their final bow today as the high-tech era claimed another victim in the City.

THE Nymex Dublin experiment that started with such great hope in November 2004 collapsed because of a serious lack of oil trades through the centre.

US stocks shuffled to a mixed finish today, rebounding from earlier lows as oil prices retreated after surging past $50 per barrel.