Reuters - Stocks rose on Wednesday as financial shares climbed on hopes lawmakers will approve the rescue plan for mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the price of oil fell.

Reuters - The Dow ticked lower and the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq cut gains after the Federal Reserve said in its Beige Book on Wednesday that the pace of economic activity slowed somewhat through mid-July.

AP - Congress is moving quickly to pass a housing package that aims to help 400,000 strapped homeowners avoid foreclosures and prevent Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from collapsing.

Reuters - Stocks were little changed on Wednesday after a rally in financial stocks ran out of steam while technology shares pared early gains.

Reuters - The Dow turned negative on Wednesday, while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq pared early gains, as oil prices sharply trimmed their decline and shares of financial services companies reversed an initial rise.

Reuters - Stocks rose on Wednesday, led by financial shares, including Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae , on hopes Washington will come through with a rescue for the housing market.

The rand was on the front foot against major currencies in late trade amid improved global risk appetite and a weaker dollar.

Mumbai, July 23 : Indian equity markets started a quick climb Wednesday, the morning after the United Progressive Alliance government won the crucial trust vote in parliament, and maintained the upward movement ...

SAN FRANCISCO - Fears that belt-tightening U.S. consumers will bruise third-quarter earnings for makers of MP3 players, cell phones and other gadgets, pummeled the stocks of consumer electronics ...

AP - Washington Mutual, the Seattle-based bank known for its buoyant advertising slogan, "Whoo hoo!," had little to cheer about as it reported a staggering $3 billion loss ? the biggest quarterly loss in its history.