So, bottom line, is Steve Jobs in more or less trouble after yesterday's news of a settlement between the Securities and Exchange Commission and Apple's former chief financial officer? There's no clear consensus. To this latest installment in the saga of Cupertino company's manipulation of executive options grants, the market's reaction was neutral; a Piper Jaffray analyst thought there was still no more than a one-in-ten chance that the iconic Apple CEO would be caught up, personally, in the scandal; and one former SEC official said the regulator's statement leaves Jobs in "legal limbo". After the jump, we dug out the key paragraphs from the major business papers' reports:

While Tuesday's events appear to signal that the enforcement agencies do not have evidence to pursue an immediate case against Mr Jobs, his standing as the most prominent executive to be drawn into the options backdating scandal that has engulfed more than 200 US companies has guaranteed close scrutiny of his role. [Financial Times]

The S.E.C. would not say whether other individuals could still face action. But its move against the two former executives could signal that the Justice Department is winding down a parallel criminal investigation into Apple's handling of options. In other similar cases, like those involving Brocade Communications Systems and Comverse Technology, the two agencies filed charges against top executives at the same time. [New York Times]

It remains unclear whether Mr. Anderson's new allegations will prompt the SEC or the San Francisco office of the Justice Department, which is conducting a separate investigation of Apple, to take any action against the Apple CEO, who has played a crucial role in his company's success. Although Apple shares declined 27 cents yesterday to $93.24, investors nonetheless appeared to take the SEC actions as a sign that Mr. Jobs isn't in any legal jeopardy. [Wall Street Journal]