Let’s just start by conceding that many stock analysts on Wall Street are well-paid B.S. artists. They are, with the exception of being well-paid, in many ways like journalists.

BOSTON (MarketWatch) -- Yolanda is a retired schoolteacher from Trenton, Mich. who switched financial advisers late last year.

Allstate Corp. reports a 98% drop in second-quarter net income as the auto and homeowners insurer suffers losses on some of its big mortgage-related investments and paid a record amount of catastrophe claims for this time of year.

In a wide-ranging response to the housing crisis, House lawmakers approve a sweeping package to assist homeowners facing foreclosure and prop up government-sponsored mortgage buyers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Among the companies whose shares are expected to see active trade in Thursday's session are Ford, Eli Lilly, 3M, Dow Chemical and McClatchy.

Educational lender SLM Corp. reports weaker-than-expected second-quarter earnings on Wednesday due to restructuring and other expenses.

The dollar extends gains against most major counterparts, taking its cue from lower crude-oil futures prices.

On July 23, a MarketWatch report on amended shareholder agreements between Merrill Lynch and BlackRock Inc. gave incorrect information about analyst valuations for Merrill Lynch's global private client business. See the corrected story.

Shares of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac tug other financial stocks higher, as U.S. lawmakers moved closer to approving a plan to backstop the hard-hit companies.

Amerigroup Corp. posts a second-quarter loss Wednesday due to the settlement of outstanding qui tam civil litigation, but the health insurer’s operating income comes in well ahead of street views.