AP - Most Asian markets rebounded Friday after days of sharp declines in global markets as investors scooped up battered financial and technology shares.

AP - Stocks plunged for a second straight day Thursday, falling to levels not seen in at least five years, as financial and energy stocks tumbled while demand for the safety of government debt spiked.

Reuters - Stocks plunged yet again on Thursday, as a frantic flight from risk prompted by investors' deepening economic fears drove the benchmark Standard & Poor's 500 index to its lowest level since 1997 -- completing the erasure of more than a decade of stock market gains.

AFP - Panic spread in global stock markets Thursday as a jump in US jobless figures and fresh job cuts worldwide deepened fears of recession and sent investors fleeing for cover.

AFP - Wall Street shares plunged Thursday as panicked investors made a frenzied rush out of stocks and into bonds in the face of more weak data and a breakdown in efforts for a bailout for automakers.

Reuters - Shares of General Motors and Ford Motor Co soared on Thursday after a Senate Democratic aide said senators had reached agreement on a bipartisan auto aid deal.

Reuters - Fears of a deep, long global recession intensified on Thursday as stock markets hit new lows on reports of more U.S. job losses and oil prices below $50 a barrel, as prospects dimmed for a bailout of U.S. automakers.

AFP - London shares were in the backfoot on Thursday as recession fears deepened on new data showing a surge in US jobless claims.

AFP - London's FTSE 100 stock index plunged 4.52 percent in afternoon trading on Thursday, amid mounting fears of a deep recession and deflation.

AFP - European stocks markets plunged in afternoon trading on Thursday with London down 4.52 percent as recession fears deepened on new data showing a surge in US jobless claims.

Reuters - Shares of Citigroup Inc rose 6.3 percent to $6.80 before the bell on Thursday after CNBC reported that Saudi Prince Alwaleed plans to boost his take in the financial services company back to 5 percent.

AFP - The dollar and euro held to narrow ranges Thursday against a darkening economic backdrop which sparked another round of very heavy losses on global markets.

AP - South Korean stocks fell for an eighth straight session Thursday, and the won dropped against the U.S. dollar to levels not seen in more than a decade, as a sell-off on Wall Street and worries about the world economy shook investors.

AFP - Shares in China's Nasdaq-listed Internet giant Baidu have dived more than a third amid allegations it gave unlicensed medical firms prominent exposure for money, without telling its customers.

AP - Jarred by new jobless alarms, Congress raced to approve legislation Thursday to keep unemployment checks flowing through the December holidays and into the new year for a million or more laid-off Americans whose benefits are running out.