By COLLEEN BARRY
AP Business Writer

(AP:MILAN) World stock markets dropped Monday as worries intensified over the condition of the eurozone and whether Greece is edging towards leaving the single currency union.

In Athens, Greek party leaders were scheduled to resume talks aimed at forming a government. But as the political wrangling dragged into its second week, markets contemplated the threat that the crisis-stricken country would not meet the terms of its bailout and drop out of the currency club. [Read more...]

By CHRIS KAHN
AP Energy Writer

(AP:NEW YORK) The price of oil fell Friday after reports that China’s economy appears to be slowing down.

China, the world’s second-largest oil consumer, reported a sharp decline in both investment and industrial production growth in April. A slowdown in China could push oil consumption _ and prices _ lower this year.

Benchmark U.S. crude lost 95 cents to finish at $96.13 in New York. Brent crude, which helps set the price for oil imported into the U.S., lost 47 cents to end at $112.26 per barrel in London.

China’s National Bureau of Statistics reported that investment in factory equipment and construction didn’t grow as much from January to April as it did in the same period last year. Industrial production rose 9.3 percent in April, compared with a 12 percent increase in March. [Read more...]

By The Associated Press

Thursday was the day the Dow Jones industrial clawed its way back into positive territory after six losing days in a row.

The Dow had been on its longest losing streak since August before gaining almost 20 points on Thursday. Stocks got a boost from a drop in new unemployment applications, as well as Spain’s move to take over a debt-laden bank. Investors took that as a sign that Spain was working aggressively to avoid needing a bailout. [Read more...]

(RTTNews) – During the early Asian session on Thursday, the Australian dollar climbed against its key counterparts after the release of the nation’s strong jobs data.

Australia’s employment increased unexpectedly in April, the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed today.

The number of employed persons rose by 15,500 to 11.5 million in April after adjusting to seasonal variations. Meanwhile, the number of unemployed persons fell by 28,800 to 598,200. [Read more...]

(RTTNews) – Stocks staged a notable recovery attempt after falling sharply in early trading on Wednesday but once again ended the day mostly lower. As was the case in the previous session, uncertainty about the political situation in Europe weighed on the markets.

The major averages ended the day firmly in negative territory, although well off their worst levels of the day. The Dow dropped 97.03 points or 0.8 percent to 12,835.06, the Nasdaq fell 11.56 points or 0.4 percent to 2,934.71, and the S&P 500 slid 9.14 points or 0.7 percent to 1,354.58. [Read more...]

(AP:NEW YORK) A roiling political landscape in Europe pushed U.S. stock futures lower Monday as beleaguered voters in Greece and France rejected years of painful budget cuts.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 46 points to 12,911. The Standard & Poor’s 500 slipped 5.7 points to 1,356.80. The Nasdaq composite index fell 12 points to 2,613.50.

The parliament in Greece is split after elections Sunday and there is no party close to forming a new government. The French ousted President Nicolas Sarkozy, part of a wave of unrest over budget cuts as unemployment spirals higher and social services and safety nets evaporate.

Elected in Sarkozy’s place was Socialist Francois Hollande, who pledged immediately “to finish with austerity.” [Read more...]

By PAUL WISEMAN and CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER
AP Economics Writers

(AP:WASHINGTON) One month of slower job growth might have been a blip. Two suggest a worrisome trend: The economy may be faltering again.

The United States generated just 115,000 jobs last month, well below expectations and the fewest since October. The unemployment rate fell to 8.1 percent, but for the wrong reason _ workers abandoned the labor force.

From December through February, employers added 252,000 jobs a month on average. But the figure dipped in March and dropped further in April, raising doubts about an economic recovery that can’t seem to reach escape velocity.

The report Friday by the Labor Department indicated “an economy that is losing momentum _ especially on the jobs front,” said Tom Porcelli, chief U.S. economist at RBC Capital Markets. [Read more...]