europe

Shares of Ford fell sharply on Friday after the company reported a quarterly result below analysts' $0.26 a share expectations: $1.1 billion, or $0.20 a share. But despite the disappointing profit number, Ford's core business is actually in great shape.

On Friday, it looked like this week would be ugly. Standard & Poor's had just downgraded the credit ratings of France and several other E.U. countries, the latest domino to fall in Europe's slow-motion economic train wreck. But at least in the U.S., the stock market has shrugged off that news.

President Obama's proposed cuts to national defense spending have critics in a panicked tizzy. But while the document outlining his plan suggests that real change is afoot, it clearly contradicts the outlandish claims of its detractors.

Netflix hopes its latest move doesn't turn out to resemble a British comedy. The video buffet operator introduced its streaming service in Ireland and the U.K. on Monday. And while overseas expansion is old hat for Netflix, this time, the challenges are bigger.

Stock markets in Europe traded in fairly narrow ranges Monday as Germany's leader warned that Greece may not get its next batch of bailout cash. Chinese shares surged after authorities pledged to increase bank lending to entrepreneurs. Europe's stumbling efforts to get a handle on its debt crisis remains the focus of interest in the markets.

The stock market's stomach-churning roller coaster will keep running, but unlike last year's flat finish, Wall Street experts anticipate stocks will end 2012 on a high note, with the S&P 500 up by 7%.

By most indications, the U.S. economy is recovering fairly well for the time being. But across the Pond in Europe, another story is unfolding that has the stock market worried -- and it should have your attention, too.

With 2011 fast coming to a close, it's time to think about what's next -- if you dare. We've got the good news, the bad news, the key points to watch and some good advice on getting through 2012 with your finances intact.

Jim Cramer of CNBC's Mad Money, appeared on Today to discuss Monday's stock market slide with Matt Lauer. Asked what Wall Street had really reacted to, Cramer said it wasn't the supercommittee's failure: "It's all Europe," he told Lauer.

GM made $2.2 billion in North America in the third quarter, but it couldn't expand on that number with earnings abroad. Now the bailed out, revamped and much-improved automaker has to find a way to make Europe profitable -- because the Continent is essential to its global operations.