AP - JOB WEAKNESS: A surprise spike in first-time jobless claims disappointed investors and sent stocks moderately lower. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 5 points.

AFP - European equities sank Wednesday, despite upbeat earnings from banking groups Lloyds, Societe Generale and Standard Chartered, as investors focused on poor US data that sparked concern about the recovery.

AP - A surprisingly poor signal on the jobs market sent stocks slightly lower Thursday as investors remained worried about a lack of hiring.

AP - Safety first. That appears to be the new motto for investors trying to figure out how bad the emerging slowdown in U.S. economic growth is going to be.

AP - Worse than expected U.S. jobs data Friday weighed on stocks and sent the dollar tumbling as investors fretted that the U.S. economic recovery from recession is grinding to a halt.

Investor%27s Business Daily - School stocks fell broadly, including Career Education (NMS:CECO), down 9%; Corinthian Colleges (NMS:COCO), down 7.5%; Grand Canyon Education (NMS:LOPE), down 6%; Apollo Group (NMS:APOL), down 4%; Strayer Education (NMS:STRA), down 4% and DeVry , down 3%. American Public Education (NMS:APEI) fell 5% during the day and 29% after hours. It beat Q2 EPS estimates but sales fell short.

AP - European stock markets rose Thursday as investors found cheer in a positive assessment of Greece%27s austerity program ahead of the latest policy comments from European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet.

AFP - European stock markets surged in early trading on Monday, lifted by banking shares after British banking titan HSBC announced soaring half-year profits.

AP - Stocks and interest rates dropped Friday after a disappointing employment report renewed concerns about a slowdown in economic growth.

AP - World stock markets were mostly higher Friday as investors looked to monthly employment figures for clues about the strength of the U.S. economic recovery.

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.