UNEMPLOYMENT

Spain's prime minister said Sunday that despite financial assistance of as much as ?100 billion ($125 billion) for the country's ailing financials sector, the euro zone's fourth-largest economy will continue to suffer from high unemployment and shrinking gross domestic product.

U.S. President Barack Obama on Saturday continued to urge Congress to pass legislation he said would add more jobs for teachers as Republicans and Democrats bickered over whether expanding the public sector would strengthen the economy.

Clean energy advocates may be celebrating the decline of coal-fired power. But in the heart of Kentucky's Appalachia, ground zero for coal country, mining is essentially the economy. And there, no coal means no recovery

While the euro zone fiscal crisis has grabbed the spotlight, the U.S. faces its own fiscal crisis. The simultaneous onset of tax increases and spending cuts scheduled for Jan. 1 -- which will trigger unless Republicans and Democrats can agree on a balanced budget solution -- will likely send the economy plunging off a $720 billion fiscal cliff and into the arms of another recession.

French voters across the country are casting votes for parliamentary representatives. Can Marine Le Pen's National Front Party win some seats for the first time in over 20 years?

President Barack Obama spoke of financial troubles both at home and abroad in a press conference Friday, calling on Congress to reconsider his jobs legislation to boost the public sector amid headwinds from Europe.

A Wednesday report revealed that the conflict in the Ivory Coast involves mercenaries from neighboring Liberia. The militants have abducted children, murdered civilians and raided communities in Ivorian villages.

In 2009, the Economist Intelligence Unit devised an acronym for six emerging countries, CIVETS, which includes Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey and South Africa. These countries were categorized as the six countries with the best chance of high, long-term growth.

Futures on major U.S. indices point to a slightly higher opening Thursday ahead of the report on weekly jobless claims and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke?s congressional testimony.

Wearing the black face-covering veil favoured by Saudi women, Maha Mazyad looked through leaflets for prospective jobs with some of the Islamic kingdom's largest companies at a recent career fair in Riyadh.

The Mitt Romney campaign targeted the Hispanic vote in dual English and Spanish Web ads Tuesday morning in an attempt to woo a voting bloc that heavily supported President Obama Barack in 2008 and could prove to be critical in the 2012 election.

The euro zone avoided recession with zero growth in the first quarter, but it seems to have run out of luck. Recent data out of the single currency bloc has led economists to conclude with confidence that a recession is looming and the European Central Bank may not act Wednesday.

Massive movements of capital during the latest occurrences of the European financial crisis have forced central bankers into the role of circus contortionists: bending into positions in order to maintain their stated policy targets. And their antics are not being bought by all, with some wagering that these bankers' next attempts will result in a broken back or two.

Bernard Thibault, the secretary of the Communist-backed Confédération Générale du Travail, one of France's largest unions, warned that at least 45,000 jobs (and maybe as many as 90,000) will be jettisoned by some 46 companies.

Home prices are stagnant, crude oil is tumbling and copper has fallen to a seven-month low. Inflation is not the problem. What is the problem is inflation's evil twin, deflation.

Stocks have wiped out their year-to-date gains. US payrolls are down while unemployment is up. Yields on high-demand government bonds are at record lows. Speculation abounds the US Fed might even print more money. Is it any wonder some are talking about gold?s rebound?

Move over, George Clooney. The Obama campaign is taking full advantage of star power from two famous fashion icons to raise money, an effort being mocked by the Republican Party as pretentious and out of touch.

The number of people in Spain claiming jobless benefits declined slightly in May by 30,113, the country's Labor Ministry announced on Monday. The drop was small compared to the decline in claims of 80,000 in May of last year.

The April trade data is likely to garner the most market attention, while the Fed Beige Book will set the tone for the upcoming Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. On Thursday, markets will also be watching Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke's testimony to Congress, which could provide clues on whether the Fed is ready to take additional steps to support growth.

Crude oil prices declined for the fifth day Monday as sentiment was dampened after reports indicated a slowdown in China's nonmanufacturing activity and U.S. employment.

Asian stock markets plunged Monday as weaker-than-expected economic data from the US and China raised concerns over the strength of global economic recovery.