How to Bet on Oil—Whether Bull or Bear

Here's a guide to investing in oil no matter which way the price swings

Banks vs. Consumers

The business of resolving credit-card disputes is booming. But critics say the dominant firm favors creditors that are trying to collect from unsophisticated debtors

The Next Real Estate Crisis

By April, 2009, hundreds of thousands of option ARM mortgages will begin resetting, bringing on a fresh wave of foreclosures

Stocks Climb on Claims, Retail News

Indexes recouped some of their recent losses Thursday, despite news that S&P downgraded bond insurers MBIA and Ambac

Vital Signs: Will We Escape a Recession?

On deck: Pending home sales, foreign trade, the Fed's Beige Book, retail sales, consumer prices, and Fedspeak

Movers: Ambac, MBIA, Verizon, Borders, Continental, Wal-Mart, BJ's Wholesale

Thursday's stocks in the news

Analyst Actions: Lehman, Wal-Mart, ADC Telecommunications

S&P Picks and Pans: Verizon, Ambac, Ciena, Continental, Lehman, Smithfield Foods

Analysts' opinions on stocks in the news Thursday