WASHINGTON -- Confronted by problems at every turn -- rising unemployment, shaky growth, credit troubles and creeping inflation -- the Federal Reserve left an important interest rate unchanged, taking a gamble that for now the best move was no move at all.

NEW YORK -- An already soaring Wall Street extended its advance Tuesday after the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged and assuaged some of the market's fears about the economy. The Dow Jones industrial average shot up more than 330 points, and all the major indexes had gains approaching 3 percent.

WASHINGTON -- Rising prices, falling home values, stagnant wages and tight credit. It's a potent combination that has struck the American consumer hard.

NEW YORK -- Oil prices plunged to a three-month low Monday, briefly tumbling below $120 a barrel in another huge sell-off after Tropical Storm Edouard seemed less likely to disrupt oil and natural gas output in the Gulf of Mexico.