Business news for Mon, 31 Dec 2007 & with words energy+rising. 3 news.

Europe stocks endeda half-session of trading flat, but finished the year with the first losses since 2002 as worries about the credit crunch and rising energy prices stymied action.

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Europe stocks on Monday ended a half-session of trading steady, but finished the year with the first losses since 2002 as worries about the credit crunch and rising energy prices stymied action.

Oil prices ended the year near $96 a barrel, or 57 percent higher than where they began, and analysts expect rising demand and geopolitical instability to keep upward pressure on energy costs early in 2008.