U.S. stock indexes end with weekly rise

MARKETWATCH FRONT PAGE

U.S. stocks close higher for the week, with bullish sentiment curbed a bit before a long weekend that�s expected to include resolution on another round of financial aid to Greece. See full story.

5 big game-changers for small-cap stocks

Small-cap stocks� strong rebound just may continue, writes Rachel Koning Beals. Here�s a short list of economic and stock sectors where improved conditions should bode well for small-caps. See full story.

Economic problems don�t end with recession: Obama

Barack Obama wants to be known as the president who halted America�s long decline, writes Rex Nutting. See full story.

Uncertainty not the economy�s problem: White House

Unique problems stemming from the debt crisis are holding back the pace of the recovery, the Obama administration says, in a report that dismissed Republican arguments that uncertainty about an overreaching federal government was keeping the economy in the slow lane. See full story.

Rising gas prices and declining utilities output

The week�s economic reports show inflation is on the rise, and that the warm weather is helping everyone but utilities. Plus, the Greek and German economies are a study in contrasts. See full story.

MARKETWATCH COMMENTARY

Instead of acknowledging that banks have become a part of government, we keep pretending they are private institutions, writes David Weidner. See full story.

MARKETWATCH PERSONAL FINANCE

Some boomers are tapping their home equity and investing the money in tax-deferred accounts. There are risks and rewards to this sort of leveraging strategy. See full story.