Oil

Oil prices slipped Wednesday ahead of official weekly U.S. government data on domestic crude stockpiles, after an industry group reported a surge in inventories late the day before.

Oil markets rose to a two-month high Tuesday as traders focused on the possibility of an output agreement among large producers.

Stocks struggled to hang on to April gains as a series of sour earnings reports and disappointing economic data raised doubts about the strength of the U.S. economy.

Chevron on Friday reported a wider-than-expected loss amid lower oil prices and the stronger dollar.

ExxonMobil, the largest U.S. oil company, reported its smallest quarterly profit since 1999, a 63% plunge from a year ago, as oil prices remain depressed.

Oil prices sold off Monday after a private data forecaster reported a jump in stored supplies at the main delivery hub in the United States.

U.S. stocks on Wednesday were dipping in and out of negative territory after the opening bell amid a fresh drop in oil prices and weaker-than-expected earnings from companies such as Coca-Cola and Intel.

Oil-field services provider Seventy Seven Energy Inc. said Tuesday that it plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and that it has reached a restructuring agreement with many of its lenders, becoming the latest casualty of the energy-price downturn.

U.S. and European stocks turned higher Monday, shaking off a decline in oil prices after major oil-producing countries failed to reach an agreement to freeze output.

Oil prices slid on Monday after key producers failed to negotiate a curb on their output, fueling concerns that this could hit the recent recovery in the crude market.

U.S. and global oil benchmarks shook off an early decline and wavered between gains and losses on Wednesday, as weekly government data contained both bullish and bearish surprises.

Oil prices jumped Tuesday on increased expectations that major oil producers will agree to freeze output at a meeting on Sunday.

Gains on Wall Street were driven by a surge in oil on Tuesday, even as Alcoa's lackluster results marked a shaky start to the U.S. corporate earnings season.

Global oil prices softened Monday as investors retraced from a recent rally, concerned about the factors, including U.S. inventory data, that drove the price up.

U.S. stocks pared healthy gains Friday as consumer-discretionary stocks, mainly retail and apparel companies like Gap Inc. ,sank, shifting investors' focus to shaky coming quarterly results.

Oil prices are surging, one of several big jumps higher this year, as speculators keep betting a stronger global economy and a deal from global exporters to cap production can smooth the path for oil to rebound.

U.S. stocks were in negative territory Monday, as losses for consumer-discretionary companies, like Nike Inc., overshadowed a rally in health-care stocks.

U.S. stocks inched higher on Friday, with investors hesitant to make major moves ahead of a speech by Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen and a long holiday weekend.

U.S. stocks paused Thursday after two days of strong gains as crude prices retreated from the $50 a barrel level and investors brushed off better-than-expected economic reports.

Strong housing data, rising oil prices and increasing confidence that higher interest rates won't undermine stock prices combined to help lift major indexes as investors sold government bonds and gold.