DOES IT FEEL LIKE YOUR STRESS LEVEL IS WAY UP THESE DAYS? YOU'RE NOT ALONE:

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AND MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL ANDY HAGLER SAYS ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK TO WALL STREET FOR THE REASON WHY:

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UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF US AREN'T CHANNELING THAT STRESS IN THE PROPER WAY:

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Oil prices fell Wednesday, touching their lowest level this year, - as the government reported a huge spike in crude inventories while giving more evidence of dwindling demand. Light, sweet crude for November delivery was down $1.23 at $88.83. Crude has now fallen about 40 percent since surging to an all-time record $147.27 a barrel on July 11.

But Wednesday’s losses were limited by growing speculation that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries could cut output to keep prices from falling too hard. OPEC officials, worried about declining oil revenue, in recent days have urged members of the cartel not to pump too much crude in a bid to keep prices above $100. Michael Lynch, president of Strategic Energy and Economic Research says as prices move toward 80-dollars, you'll see at the very least, some quiet cuts from OPEC members. He also says if the market really looks like it's going to remain weak, you'll see an official OPEC notice. Michael Lynch joined us this morning.



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THE COFFEE CROWD SEEMS TO BE LEANING TOWARD BARACK OBAMA. THAT'S WHAT 7-11'S ARE REPORTING AFTER THEY STARTED SELLING COFFEE IN TWO DIFFERENT CUPS, DEPENDING ON YOUR PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE. RED FOR JOHN MCCAIN AND BLUE FOR BARACK OBAMA. THE CUPS EVEN HAVE THE CANDIDATES NAMES ON THEM AND STORE OFFICIALS KEEP TRACK OF THE DATA, NOTING THAT PRE-DEBATE NUMBERS HAD OBAMA AHEAD OF MCCAIN 58 TO 42 PERCENT. THEY CLAIM THEIR COFFEE DRINKERS PICKED THE WINNER IN BOTH THE 2000 AND 2004 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.

IT SEEMS YOUR SHOPPING WHERE YOU CAN GET MORE BANG FOR THE BUCK. BJ'S AND WALMART WERE THE ONLY MAJOR RETAILERS TO POST SALES GAINS IN SEPTEMBER, WHILE LUXURY STORES SUCH AS SAKS AND NEIMAN MARCUS FACED SHARP LOSSES. TARGET NOT FITTING THE BILL FOR CONSUMERS EITHER, THEY REPORTED BIGGER THAN EXPECTED DROPS AND EXPECT THE PROBLEMS TO CONTINUE BECAUSE OF CUSTOMERS HAVING A HARD TIME MAKING THEIR CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS