Reuters – BP Plc , the largest oil producer in U.S.-regulated areas of the Gulf of Mexico, said Monday that Tropical Storm Hermine was not expected to affect its offshore operations.

Reuters – European Union finance ministers sought on Monday to make sanctions for EU budget rule breakers more automatic, but put off potentially difficult talks on a permanent mechanism to resolve euro zone crises.

Reuters – The Federal Reserve should not announce a limit on its actions if it resumes purchases of Treasury securities to stimulate the U.S. economy, the former vice chairman of the central bank said.

AP – European Union finance ministers are set to discuss the possibility of introducing a levy on banks and whether a tax on financial transactions can deal with another banking crisis, as they gather Tuesday in an atmosphere more benign than when they last met in July.

AFP – World oil prices diverged on Monday, the end of the traditional peak demand season for motor fuel in the United States.

AP – The Dutchman charged with killing a 21-year-old Peruvian woman and suspected in the disappearance of U.S. teenager Natalee Holloway has acknowledged extorting money from Holloway’s parents and says he did it to get back at them.

Reuters – Shares in Hon Hai Group (2317.TW), maker of Apple’s iPhones, fell as much as 4 percent on Monday after its chairman was quoted as saying in a report that the group will halve its long-term sales growth target to 15 percent annually.

Reuters – President Barack Obama launches several economic initiatives this week aimed at generating some desperately needed U.S. job growth and limiting predicted Democratic losses in November 2 congressional elections.

Reuters – Australia’s top investment bank Macquarie Group Ltd warned investors it would miss profit forecasts after weak markets took a toll on its trading and advisory business, sending its shares to a 15-month low.

Reuters – BP has revived the sale of its Alaskan assets after failing to offload them to U.S. oil and gas company Apache in July, the Financial Times reported on Monday.