Here’s what’s shaking:
Stocks:
Futures are falling as the Group of 20 gathers in Moscow, where currency exchange policy, particularly in Japan, will likely dominate discussions.
Dow Jones industrial futures are down 12 points to 13,938. The broader S&P futures have lost 1.6 points to 1,516.90. Nasdaq futures are down 1.75 points to 2,765.50.
Japan has been forcing the value of the yen lower, which is advantageous for trade. That is likely to continue after it reported Thursday that its economy shrank for the third consecutive quarter.
Earlier this week, the yen fell to a 21-month low against the dollar and a near three-year low against the euro.
Oil:
Oil prices fell below $97 Friday a day after disappointing European economic figures highlighted the region’s parlous growth outlook.
By early afternoon in Europe, benchmark oil for March delivery was down 74 cents to $96.57 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 30 cents to finish at $97.31 per barrel on the Nymex on Thursday.
Figures Thursday showed economic output in Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, contracted by more than anticipated in the last three months of 2012. And France, Europe’s second-biggest economy, also saw output drop.
As a result, the recession across the 17 European Union countries that use the euro deepened during the quarter.
Some analysts expect the leading European economies to start turning a corner soon.
Brent crude, which is used to price oil that many U.S. refineries buy to make gasoline, was down 41 cents to $117.59 per barrel in London.
Markets:
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The AP contributed to this report.






















































































































Steve28
Feb. 15, 2013 at 11:11amFunny they are saying all these nations like Germany and Russia are buying gold and yet the price is going down. OPEC says oil demand up end yet Europe in recession and the US still weak. Seems they are trying to suck people back in and drop the market again while they short it.
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JRook
Feb. 15, 2013 at 4:18pmPerhaps a useful chart the shows the price of gasoline at the pump vs. the price of a barrel of oil might give everyone a better perspective as to what is and what isn’t effecting the price. And of course provide an ability to see how the market is being manipulated by speculators, investors and big oil companies. How exactly does US oil inventory go down over the past few months when the price of oil was relatively low? Sounds like actions designed to purposely create a shortage. Its time for the PRESIDENT to give the industry what they want and open up all US drilling with the requirement that all wells be brought online within 3 years, thus flooding the market with oil and driving the price down to where it belongs which is total direct and indirect costs plus a reasonable 10% ROI. Because if it was truly a free market that is exactly where the price would be.
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dublinthewagons
Feb. 15, 2013 at 10:04amThe state of the economy is strong. LOL
Give up wearing a belt suspenders are more in order.
Recession followed by inflation
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