European and Asian stock markets finished narrowly mixed Monday in mostly light trading. The U.S. financial markets were closed for Labor Day. The U.S. holiday dried up liquidity, and brokers said they expect trade to remain muted for the early part of the week. "The reality is, there's only one market that moves the others along," said Stuart Eaves, a Wellington, New Zealand-based broker at Waddell Johnston McCarthy. Chinese stocks touched a record while Japanese stocks declined. In Europe, the U.K. FTSE 100 index inched up 0.19 percent while the German DAX 30 index advanced 0.14 percent. But the French CAC-40 share index ended 0.2 percent lower.
Oil futures creep up
Oil futures rose Monday as traders tracked potentially destructive storms that could hit the Gulf of Mexico region. Trading was sluggish, however, as the U.S. financial markets were closed. Worries over Hurricane Felix eased somewhat as it churned its way into the open waters of the Caribbean Sea on Sunday and looked less likely to hit the Gulf of Mexico, where key refineries are located.
Trim your utility bill
With summer utility bills just about over, it's not too early to take some steps to reduce the bills for winter and beyond, according to the do-it-yourself Web site repairclinic.com. The site's president, Chris Hall, has the following suggestions to reduce energy loss and bill costs at the same time:
Clean drip bowls under the electric coil burners on your stove. Dirty bowls reduce heating efficiency.
Make sure the oven door closes snugly. Inspect the hinges, gaskets and door springs, if it doesn't, and replace them if necessary.
Clean or replace filters in the oven and the microwave oven.
Inspect the dishwasher's dish rack tines for possible rusting. If you see rust, check into a tine repair kit.
Replace or clean the air-conditioner filter, and remember to do so regularly. Clean the coils and evaporator, too.
Job fair in October
A Modesto job fair in October could be the ticket for a company to "fall" into a crop of prospective new employees. Exhibitors are needed for the Oct. 2 fair, which is from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Modesto Centre Plaza. The Modesto Bee CareerBuilder.com Job Fair regularly attracts 1,000 to 1,200 job seekers from across Stanislaus County. Companies at past fairs have included ones from manufacturing, technology, professional services and communications. For information, call 578-2039.
