CRUDE OIL

FedEx's forecast cut, signs of stagnation in Germany, drops in oil price and looming political tensions spell trouble for the global economy.

Asian shares retreated from four-month highs Tuesday as markets paused from last week's rallies, calculating the impact on growth from the Federal Reserve's aggressive stimulus and eyeing whether Spain will request a bailout to ease its fiscal strains.

Crude oil prices advanced in Asian trading Friday, extending overnight rally after the U.S. Federal Reserve launched another round of quantitative easing to rejuvenate the economic growth.

Market bulls charged on Wednesday -- running U.S. stock futures, European stocks, the euro, oil and gold higher -- in the wake of a German court ruling that backs the country's participation in the euro zone's new bailout fund created to prevent the weakest euro economies from going bust. However, some economists warn that it's too early to sound the all-clear on the fate of the single currency bloc.

Crude oil futures slightly declined Monday as weak economic reports from the U.S. and China weighed on the sentiment.

TransCanada submits a new route for its proposed Keystone XL Pipeline that skirts ecologically sensitive areas in Nebraska. A State Department decision is expected early next year.

A new report from Citigroup says that Saudi Arabia, the world's eighth-largest exporter of oil, could become an oil importer by 2030.

Crude oil futures declined Wednesday as weak manufacturing reports from the U.S. and China raised concerns of a further global slowdown.

During the holiday week, economy-watchers are likely to focus on Friday's August nonfarm payrolls report and the European Central Bank’s governing council meeting, on Sept. 6.

Crude oil prices declined in Asia Monday as sentiment was dampened after reports indicated a sharp slowdown in the Chinese manufacturing activity in August.

Gulf Coast residents are spending Labor Day weekend cleaning up the mess left behind by Hurricane Isaac, which pushed north on Friday into the central U.S. after leaving entire water-logged neighborhoods without lights, air conditioning or clean water.

The Hurricane Isaac-related shutdown of at least four U.S. oil refineries and an explosion at a major refinery in Venezuela -- the fourth-largest provider of oil to the U.S. -- could lead to oil prices rising as supply falls.

One of Africa's quietest dictators will be put to the test when the southern African country of Angola goes to the polls on Friday.

Asian shares hit a one-month low on growth concerns Thursday as investors await indications of further U.S. stimulus from the U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke’s on Friday. Meanwhile, the major currencies were range-bound.

Chinese criminal gangs have spilled over into the African country of Angola. Now, their illicit activities are threatening China’s presence in the region.

At least one major refiner, BP PLC (NYSE: BP), has said it is shutting down production in the region. Production shutdowns can lead to price spikes at the pump fairly quickly.

Plumes of thick, black smoke continue to rise from the inferno that has engulfed Venezuela's main oil refinery and left at least 41 people dead and dozens more injured, following the country's worst oil accident on record.

What could Israel use in a strike against Iran? How would Iran defend itself, and what could it do afterwards?

The minutes of the July 31-Aug. 1 meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee, to be released on Wednesday, will dominate markets in a week light on data.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has plans to invest heavily in the country's future Olympians -- even though most of the population still lives in poverty.

Gasoline production issues and tensions between Iran and Israel have sent U.S. gasoline prices above $4 per gallon in some cities, and prices likely won't fall until October, according to gasoline analysts.