Big Oil Takes Big Hit in Stocks' Dive

The oil behemoth shattered the annual profit record despite slow fourth quarter

(AP) - Buoyed by last year's spike in crude prices, Exxon Mobil Corp. today reported a profit of $45.2 billion for 2008, breaking its own record for a US company, even as its fourth-quarter earnings fell 33% from a year ago. The previous record for annual profit was $40.6 billion, which the world's largest publicly traded oil company set in 2007. More»

Behemoth stood still when oil hit record highs, now has $40B for buying spree

(NEWSER) - Flush with cash after resisting costly acquisitions while oil prices hit record highs, Exxon Mobil could be ready for a shopping spree that could alter the face of the world’s energy supply, reports the Wall Street Journal. The company has nearly $37 billion in reserves and could target another oil company, like Shell, and “change the industry structure forever,” say analysts. More»

Investors see signs of gradually easing credit—and bargains, driving up market late

(NEWSER) - Stocks rallied late in today’s volatile session, but stopped short of recovering yesterday’s sharp losses, rollercoastering through an 800-point range, MarketWatch reports. Crude oil futures fell $4.69, to about half of their record high in July, on a report that showed US inventories increasing. The Dow rose 401.35 to 8,979.26. The Nasdaq gained 89.38, closing at 1,717.71, and the S&P 500 climbed 38.59 to 946.43. More»

Bad data pummels equities; oil drops below $75 per barrel

(NEWSER) - Stocks continued to slide in the final hours of the trading day as retail sales and manufacturing activity slowed while core inflation jumped, the Wall Street Journal reports. Oil slid $4.09 to $74.54 a barrel, its lowest price in 2008. The Dow closed down 733.08 at 8,577.91—the index's second-largest point drop ever. The Nasdaq shed 150.68, closing at 1,628.33, and the S&P 500 lost 90.17 to settle at 907.84. More»

(NEWSER) - As the stock prices of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac plunged 80% this year, employees of the companies helplessly watched their fortunes sink with the ship, the New York Times reports. For instance, Fannie Mae’s workers owned $116 million in company stock at the end of 2006; today it’s worth $17.5 million. The sale of stock and options paid to employees was often restricted, making diversification difficult. More»