Crude oil, natural gas and agricultural commodity prices have pulled back sharply since the beginning of July. While all these commodities remain significantly above year-ago levels and aren't likely to see prolonged weakness, energy-related stocks have been hit by the sudden selloff. Read More

The responsibility for financial regulation is largely seen as lying at the feet of government agencies and central banks, but there's one organization that largely moves behind the scenes. Read More

Constellation Energy Group owns the Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant in Maryland; two plant reactors supply as much as 20 percent of the state’s electricity. The utility now has plans to add a third reactor to the existing site. Utilities all over the nation are watching the Calvert Cliffs Plant to ascertain what level of local and regulatory resistance it will encounter. On that score, the early results are positive. Read More

It's almost an article of faith among investors that when times get tough, people pay the most important bills first: rent, electricity and water. Over the past decade, as our society has become increasingly wired and "in touch," telephone service has come to be included in that must-have category. Read More

The financial sector is in disarray after reporting over $500 billion in mortgage-related writedowns, but regulators insist that, overall, the US banking system remains on sound footing--albeit in a decidedly weakened state. Eight banks have failed thus far in 2008, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC) appears to be gearing up for additional failures. Read More

The three major US stock indexes finished in the green today, bolstered by an unexpected increase in durable goods orders for July. Read More

US stocks ended today’s session with mixed results, as share prices of energy producers rose on the strength of higher oil prices. Read More

Editor’s Note: In the article "ISO C4ISR" in the August 27, 2008 issue of Personal Finance, we recommend L3 Communications (NYSE: LLL), a defense contractor, as a buy below 110. However, the table accompanying the article includes the ticker symbol and data for Level 3 Communications (NSDQ: LVLT), a telecommunications service provider. Read More

Election years bring investors all sorts of anxieties. Aside from the various campaign promises designed to attract us to a particular candidate, we must also consider which nominee’s policy changes threaten to erode our financial well-being. Such considerations give new meaning to the term political plank, and pocketbook politics always hit home during times of economic and market malaise. Read More

US stocks plunged today, as financial shares were hit by concerns about the rising inventory of unsold homes and the prospect of even more mortgage-related writedowns. Read More