_Economy and Finance

WORLD NEWS|APRIL 8, 2011 Europe's Rate Rise Signals End of Cheap-Money Era By BRIAN BLACKSTONE and DAVID WESSEL The European Central Bank on Thursday became the first monetary authority in a major developed economy to raise interest rates since the global financial crisis struck—a sign that the long period of extraordinarily easy credit is beginning to come to a close.

ASIA MARKETS|FEBRUARY 28, 2011, 1:54 A.M. ET High Oil Prices Rattle Asian Markets By SHRI NAVARATNAM And GA-WOON PHILIP VAHN SINGAPORE—Asian stock markets were mixed Monday as a surge in oil prices amid continued worries over the turmoil in the Middle East hit airline stocks and dampened sentiment. The Seoul market lost ground on fears that an ongoing military drill could provoke fresh aggression from North Korea.