CRUDE OIL

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., says speculators have contributed to oil’s high price – hurting the U.S. economy and wreaking havoc on family budgets, and he’s proposed a bill that he believes will help stop it.

China will respect the will of the Libyan people and hopes for a return to stability in the war-torn country, China's Foreign Ministry said on Monday, as Libyan rebel fighters clashed with government forces in Tripoli.

China's crude imports from Russia in July plunged 45 percent from a year earlier to 615,193 tonnes, or 144,870 barrels per day (bpd), the lowest level in several years, customs data showed on Monday.

There is no immediate prospect of removing Libya from a list of areas deemed high risk by London's marine insurance market, and underwriters will seek a stable period in the country before looking at a de-listing, a market official said on Monday.

Skype buys GroupMe, Verizon's 45,000 striking workers head back to work, rebel action in Libya affects oil prices, and more in today's Companies Roundup

Oil trading data that exposed the extensive positions speculators held in the run-up to record high prices in 2008 were intentionally leaked by a U.S. senator, sparking broader concern about industry confidentiality as Congress moves on Wall Street reform.

Oil trading data that exposed the extensive positions speculators held in the run-up to record high prices in 2008 were intentionally leaked by a U.S. senator, sparking broader concern about industry confidentiality as Congress moves on Wall Street reform.

Gold set a record high on Friday on safe-haven buying but commodities rebounded after the U.S. dollar plunged to a record low against Japan's currency on speculation authorities will not halt the yen's surge.

China's buying of West African crude oil is set to rise about 15 percent in September from August, trade sources said on Friday, but overall Asian imports from West Africa will fall due to slower Indian demand.

Asian stocks tumbled as much as 4 percent on Friday on growing fears that the U.S. economy was sliding into recession and as some European lenders faced short-term funding strains, raising fears of a systemic banking crisis on the continent.

Mid- and small-capitalization stocks sank for a third straight day on Thursday in a wide selloff on continued fears about the global economy's growth prospects.

Gold rallied 2 percent to new high above $1,820 an ounce on Thursday, after U.S. economic data pointed to a stalled economy, while renewed concern about the health of European banks brought safe-haven buying.

Renewed worries about Europe's debt crisis and a raft of weak U.S. economic data hit global markets on Thursday, driving down stocks and oil prices and pushing U.S. bond yields to record lows while pushing gold to a record high.

Renewed worries about Europe's debt crisis and a raft of weak U.S. economic data hit global markets on Thursday, driving down stocks and oil prices and pushing U.S. bond yields to record lows while pushing gold to a record high.

Oil fell more than $2 dollars on Thursday as a raft of poor economic data provided a fresh blow to shaky investor confidence and extended U.S. oil's losses to 13 percent so far in August.

European equities followed Asian stocks lower Thursday as investors fretting about the global growth outlook cut exposure to riskier assets, while the Swiss franc fell on talk the central bank was intervening in the forwards market.

World equities rose on Wednesday, lifted by strong outlooks and results from U.S. retailers, while crude oil gained on a larger-than-expected decline in U.S. gasoline supplies.

The euro wobbled Wednesday after French and German leaders failed to deliver a solution to the euro zone debt crisis and restore confidence after a global market rout, while Japanese shares fell, dragged down mainly by hi-tech.

Nigeria's headline inflation unexpectedly fell in July, data showed, reaching its lowest level for more than three years following an aggressive period of monetary tightening by the central bank.

Barclays Capital is forecasting the price of gold to exceed $2,000 per ounce next year as sovereign debt risks intensify, broad investment demand accelerates and central bank buying of the yellow increases.

Premarket trading of gold and silver mining companies were mixed Tuesday in a tight range as stock index futures pointed to a lower open and commodities like crude oil and copper were down.