Stocks failed to extend early gains Tuesday, but the listless session was not without its winners and losers.

FORBES: Is Europe's Economy Bad Enough To Be Saved?

Plan A was Mike Brown, but a horrific preseason coupled with 4 listless regular season losses sealed his fate.

FORBES: Lakers "Plan B" Solidified Well Before Firing Mike Brown

New York may be allowing fewer points per game (95.3 versus 105.7 last year) but the enhanced D has not offset the listless O.

WSJ: Jason Gay: Giants Hide Knick Pain

Murray's surprise third-round defeat by Stanislas Wawrinka at Flushing Meadows last month had been followed by a listless display against Ivan Ljubicic in Beijing just nine days ago, but a kind draw in Shanghai helped the Scot work his way back into some form during the early rounds and secure a place at the end-of-season ATP World Tour Finals in London.

BBC: Andy Murray beats Roger Federer to win Shanghai Masters

But with so much money flooding the private equity and venture capital markets and relatively listless equity markets (the Dow only just closed above 11, 000 on Monday for the first time since 2001), venture capital investors seem more willing to take their exits in a merger when they can get them--even if that means winding up with less of a gain.

FORBES: It's Not 1999 Anymore

The debt relief development programs that industrialized nations committed to in Britain this summer may help the future of Niger and other African states, but what will it do today, as we see pictures of mothers with matchstick-thick arms holding fragile, listless infants?

NPR: Niger's Desperation