AFP - Greece still faces "key challenges" in fighting its public finance crisis, despite making "considerable progress" across a wide front, EU and IMF auditors said here on Thursday.

AP - Exchange operator NYSE Euronext said Friday that its average daily trading volumes in July rose 11 percent for European derivatives and 27 percent for U.S. equity options compared with year-ago levels.

Reuters - It is too early to declare victory over the financial crisis despite stronger than expected data suggesting the euro zone recovery is outstripping expectations, the European Central Bank said on Thursday.

Reuters - The Federal Reserve on Tuesday may send a clear signal it is prepared to print more money to support a faltering economic recovery if necessary.

AP - CRUMMY JOBS NUMBER: Stocks were sharply lower for much of the day after the Labor Department reported disappointing job numbers for July. Private employers added only 71,000 jobs, far below the level needed to reduce unemployment.

Reuters - Republican Party officials said on Thursday historical trends favor them in November 2 congressional elections and that more races are competitive than they expected in a year when voters are focused on economic worries.

AP - Adding a net 71,000 private-sector jobs a month to the economy might sound like a lot. But that%27s a tiny fraction of the number of people unemployed in the U.S. It%27s not even enough to keep pace with the nation%27s population growth.

Reuters - Stocks fell on Friday after government data showed a larger-than-expected drop in July payrolls, giving investors a stark reminder the economic recovery remains slow.

AFP - The dollar rose slightly against the euro and yen on Friday as investors avoided big bets before the release of US jobs data that may indicate a slowdown in the world%27s biggest economy, analysts said.