A Week's Worth

• The Dow Jones Industrial Average crept to within 150 points of its highest close in history Friday, even as the Federal Reserve was preparing to meet for yet another decision on whether to raise interest rates. That announcement is due Wednesday.

• More than half the respondents to a new survey say they work under great stress, and the largest cohort blames that on "difficult" fellow employees. (Second: unrealistic workloads.) The online job site CareerBuilder.com, which polled 2,500 Americans, says the best ways to limit the problem are to finish the day's most important tasks first, to underpromise (but overdeliver), and to set aside a certain time to respond to voice- or e-mail, thus avoiding constant interruptions.

• Big American companies lag those in Europe in keeping a tight rein on sensitive information about their customers and employees, a new study has found. White & Case, a global law firm for which it was conducted, says fewer than half of the US companies participating have a no-sharing policy, although they tend to have more intricate systems to guard privacy than do the Europeans.

• If you're typical, florists and other small merchants expect that you'll spend up to $75 on gifts for Mother's Day. Or so says Constant Contact, an e-mail marketing service, based on a survey of 500 clients. Among other findings: 20 percent of mothers will buy their own gifts or make the day's dinner reservations themselves.