NEW YORK -- Broad damage in the mortgage industry was in full view Monday as a number of companies posted dismal first-quarter earnings, but there were also some hope that the worst of the housing crisis is over.

Satellite television company DirecTV Group Inc. said Wednesday that its first-quarter earnings rose 10.4% after it acquired a surprising number of new U.S. subscribers despite a housing meltdown.

NEW YORK -- Wall Street headed for a modestly lower open Tuesday as investors awaited more first-quarter earnings reports and watched oil prices hit a new record near $121 a barrel.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- If the 77 percent drop in Bank of America's first-quarter earnings is any indication, the economy may have a long way to go before it works out the problems that began with the subprime mortgage crisis.

LONDON (Reuters) - Remarkably resilient morale among euro zone investors and businesses will face a reality check this week as first-quarter earnings reports from the non-financial sector get into full swing.

NEW YORK -- Wall Street closed an erratic session moderately higher Tuesday after investors sorted through a mixed batch of data that included a rebound in New York manufacturing, signs of rising inflation and uneven first-quarter earnings. The market also had its eye on the rising price of crude oil.

MINNEAPOLIS -- U.S. Bancorp said Tuesday its first-quarter earnings fell 4 percent due to losses stemming from the mortgage crunch but declared its credit problems will continue to be manageable.

General Electric announces that first-quarter earnings fell an unexpected 6%. The company's stock price takes a beating, and the Dow falls 2%. A rare profit drop by General Electric Co. drove the stock market down sharply today as investors were shocked that one of corporate America's most reliable earners had been tripped up by the economy and the credit crunch.

The third-quarter earnings season begins in earnest this week, with investors hoping to learn how bad the damage was from the summer's credit crunch and what to expect in the coming quarters.