When Hurricane Ike was on its trajectory for the petrochemical industry clustered here, the storm had the makings of an environmental nightmare unlike anything in U.S. history.

Federal environmental officials say The Dow Chemical Co. may face more than $330,000 in fines for alleged pollution law violations at a latex and Styrofoam insulation manufacturing plant in Ledyard, Connecticut.

By Patrick M. Fitzgibbons

By Patrick M. Fitzgibbons

By Patrick M. Fitzgibbons

Shares of some top chemicals companies were up at the close of trading:

Shares of some top chemicals companies are up at noon:

Shares of some top chemicals companies are up at 10 a.m.:

MidAmerican Energy, a unit of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, said on Thursday that it would buy Constellation Energy for about $4.7 billion in cash.

Despite ongoing safety concerns from parents, consumer groups and politicians, a chemical used in baby bottles, canned food and other items is not dangerous, federal regulators said.

Most inflation this year has come from food and fuel, as retailers resisted passing along to strapped consumers the higher prices. But shoppers should get ready for a bump in prices.

Natural gas has many virutes, but recent proposals to encourage demand could boost prices for consumers and petroleum-dependent industries.

Most inflation this year has come from food and fuel, as retailers resisted passing along to strapped consumers the higher prices. But shoppers should get ready for a bump in prices.

Stocks ended sharply lower Thursday as the market got a triple whammy: Oil resumed its ascent, major earnings reports sparked a fresh wave of concern about corporate profits and home sales hit a 10-year low. All three major indexes lost at least  2 percent.

Stocks declined as oil resumed its ascent and investors braced for the next batch of corporate earnings.  A drop in home sales and a jump in jobless claims above the key 400,000 mark added some pressure.