Europe

The 17-country eurozone risks falling into a "severe recession," the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development warned on Tuesday, as it called on governments and Europe's central bank to act quickly to keep the slowdown from spreading.

A "modest contagion" for financial stocks "should allow domestically focused financial stocks to stabilize in the coming weeks," despite the JPMorgan Chase trading mess and the "deteriorating conditions in Europe, according to KBW analyst Fred Cannon.

Sunday's elections in France and Greece were a firm vote against austerity, and regardless of the merits of either side of the debate, that means the future of the eurozone is again in doubt. Here's why the bond markets care so much -- and why you should, too.

The roiling political landscape of Europe pushed U.S. stock futures lower Monday as beleaguered voters in Greece and France rejected years of painful budget cuts. The Dow fell 46 points to 12,911. The S&P 500 slipped 5.7 points to 1,356.80. The Nasdaq fell 12 points to 2,613.50.

Thanks to strong new products, hard work, and the American taxpayer, GM continued its profitable ways in the first quarter. The world's largest automaker reported a profit of $1 billion on the strength of its operations in the U.S. and China.

Markets dipped Monday after official data confirmed that Spain is back in its second recession in three years. Investors had initially bid up stocks on hopes that the Fed would provide more stimulus to the U.S. economy.

Ford earned $1.4 billion in the first quarter -- a bit ahead of analyst expectations, but down from a year earlier. North American sales powered the profit, while Europe's crisis-wracked economy held every automaker back on the Continent.

On Friday, Greece reached a deal to "restructure" its national debt downward by about $133 billion. That's the biggest sovereign restructuring in world history. But don't worry. According to Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, it's no big deal for the U.S.

Greece isn't going to rebound anytime soon, and Europe about to rapidly propel itself out of its mild recession either. But obsession with the Mediterranean's economic basket case has caused many investors to miss strong overseas gains. Here are three companies leading the charge.

The EU has blocked the Deutsche Boerse's planned merger with NYSE Euronext, a deal that would have created the world's largest financial exchange operator, because the venture would have had a near-monopoly in the trading of European derivatives.