Dollar rises, hits 7-month high vs. yen

MARKETWATCH FRONT PAGE

The U.S. dollar gains most notably against the Japanese yen and British pound, leaving analysts pointing to a confluence of factors weighing on Japan�s currency, though sterling�s losses may be limited. See full story.

British pound drops; losses limited, analysts say

Sterling tumbles to its lowest in about a month against the dollar, after minutes from the Bank of England�s latest policy meeting, but See full story.

Gold backs away from recent highs

Gold futures edge away from two-week highs as the dollar gains amid fading positive impact from the bailout for Greek and downbeat China data. See full story.

U.S. stock indexes slip after housing data

U.S. stocks edge lower after of a report on the housing market shows improvement, albeit short of expectations. See full story.

Financial stocks drop on weak euro-zone data

A weak euro-zone manufacturing report Wednesday reignites concerns about a recession in the region to which many large institutions are exposed. See full story.

MARKETWATCH COMMENTARY

Instead of acknowledging that banks have become a part of government, we keep pretending they are private institutions, writes David Weidner. See full story.

MARKETWATCH PERSONAL FINANCE

Americans are falling behind on savings and need to catch up. Here�s how. See full story.