US stocks slipped today as smaller companies and banks took their worst losses in a few months.

Rising energy stocks helped nudge the Standard & Poor's 500 close to its record high, but drops for smaller stocks left Wall Street indexes mixed yesterday.

A day of modest gains on Wall Street resulted in more milestones for US stocks today as the Dow Jones industrial average closed above 23,000 points for the first time.

Another successful session for US stocks has sent the Standard & Poor's 500 index higher for an eighth straight day.

US stocks edged higher today as technology companies and banks rose with the Standard & Poor's 500 index closing above 2,500 for the first time as stocks had one of their best weeks this year.

US stocks rose again today as investors were pleased with a report that showed spending by consumers grew in July along with wages and salaries.

US stocks climbed on Wednesday as investors cheered a report of stronger economic growth. Technology companies, retailers and travel providers all made solid gains.

Apple made its biggest jump in six months on Wednesday, helping send the Dow Jones industrial average above 22,000 points for the first time.

Technology shares led a broad slide in US stocks Tuesday after a day of mostly choppy trading.

South Africa's president has responded to the political crisis that erupted after he fired the finance minister, acknowledging that public disputes at the top of the government are a "serious weakness".

Banks and other financial companies have led US stocks upwards, nudging the Nasdaq composite index to an all-time high.

Stocks around the world continued their march higher on Monday, and US indexes again hit new highs.

The world's second-largest credit ratings agency has agreed to pay nearly $864m to settle US government and state claims that it gave inflated assessments to risky mortgage investments in the years leading up to the financial crisis.

Banks and other financial companies have led US stocks slightly lower, wiping out much of the market's gains from a day earlier.

US stocks have closed barely higher as big gains for utilities balanced out losses for retailers like Lowe's, Target and Staples.

The Government will have to do more to rein in health costs if it is to avoid a bigger debt pile, S&P Global Ratings has warned.

Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings (S&P) said a reduction in the amount of government debt held by banks would be a positive step towards protecting the European banking sector from future economic shocks but has warned against any excessive regulation to force the issue.

Ireland is the country most exposed to an economic fallout, if the UK were to vote to exit the EU in less than two weeks, S&P Global Ratings has said.

The Government yesterday received encouraging fiscal news as exchequer returns showed a “strong and robust” flow of tax receipts in May and on-budget spending for all but one department.

Ireland has little to fear even if the UK were to vote in little under a month to exit the EU, according to one of the world’s leading credit ratings experts.

Stocks indexes ended little changed on Wall Street as more worries about China pulled down prices for oil.

China’s national debt will continue climbing for another four years, underscoring the risks facing policymakers as they strive to prevent a deeper slowdown without triggering a credit blowout.

Uncertainty over the UK’s status in the EU continued to ripple through markets and unsettled businesses in the countdown to today’s two-day summit of European leaders, as German chancellor Angela Merkel threw her political muscle behind the push for a deal to keep Britain in.

Deutsche Bank plans to buy back about $5.4bn of bonds in euros and dollars as it seeks to allay investor concerns about its finances.

Slawomir Sierakowski observes the rise in ‘illiberal’ democracy, namely in Central and Eastern Europe and advocates integration to stave off future crises and protect liberal norms

Irish insurance companies will need to hike the costs of car insurance even more if they are return to profitability any time soon, a senior analyst at rating agency Standard & Poor’s said yesterday.

Ten years on and we still don’t know what a tracker mortgage is, despite all the financial water under the bridge, and the collapse of the banking system.

One of the world’s leading credit rating agencies yesterday reassured EU governments that the costs of resettling refugees won’t undermine their credit worthiness.

Mining and commodities trading firm Glencore yesterday said it would suspend dividends, sell assets, and raise $2.5bn (€2.24bn) in a new share issue to cut its debt by a third to $20bn by the end of next year.

Good morning. Here’s everything you need to know before you start your day.

World stock markets plunged yesterday, as a near 9% dive in China shares and a sharp drop in the dollar and major commodities sent investors rushing for the exit.

Thousands of homeowners, encouraged by the Government to get on the property ladder when the market was on its knees, face significantly higher property tax bills than the rest of the country as a result of a valuation anomaly.

Michael Noonan appears to have ruled out selling down an initial stake in AIB to stock markets until after the election.

A corrupt ideology continues to push austerity on Greece, but if the country is to leave the eurozone, its politics and economic management must change, writes Michael Kinsella.           

Whether Greece stays in the eurozone remains a question of no little importance to Europe and the future prosperity of the Greek people. 

The lack of any 11th-hour breakthrough in talks between Athens and key eurozone leaders meant markets were little riled by the failure of Greece to meet the repayment to the IMF due yesterday.

Concerns over Greece's latest effort to avoid a default weighed on US financial markets today.

Greece has committed to work intensively with international creditors to resolve outstanding issues holding up its access to bailout loans, according to German Chancellor Angela Merkel.