OPINION

The $70-a-barrel mark for oil, decisively breached this week, is seen by many analysts as a danger level. But some argue sustained prices of well over $60 have inflicted surprisingly little pain and done some good.

The headwind of rising U.S. interest rates may be about to ease, but investors are still facing tighter money across the board and some are beginning to sound warning bells about emerging markets as a result.

U.S. automakers and auto parts suppliers face a string of issues created by the changed competitive landscape, Chicago Federal Reserve President Michael Moskow said on Tuesday.

With the next storm season looming, the U.S. energy industry is stretched thin as it struggles to rebuild Gulf of Mexico output from the ravages of hurricanes Katrina and Rita amid surging prices, officials said.