AP - Brothers Charles and Sam Wyly, born a year apart during the Great Depression, almost always have been joined at the hip.

AP - WHAT A MONTH: The Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's had their best month since July 2009 and their first winning month since this past April. Strong earnings were behind the big gains.

AP - Stocks had a fitting end to a choppy July as prices seesawed their way to a narrowly mixed finish. The market still had its best month in a year.