Call for action on agricultural speculation

European Commission report on price volatility in agricultural commodities markets recommends talks with US

Overview: Investors await policy decisions

Calm returned to US and European stock markets, although concerns about the global economic outlook kept credit spreads wide and government bonds in demand

FDIC-backed debt soars as banks cash in

US banks have rushed to sell bonds backed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp

Wall St rallies in spite of poor auto sales

Dire sales figures from GM put a lid on US stocks' tenacious recovery from the heaviest sell-off since October

Bargain-hunters boost European shares

European markets ended higher after a volatile session as investors went bargain hunting for battered stocks in spite of a continued flow of bad news

Australian dollar rallies after rate cut

The Australian dollar advanced after the Reserve Bank of Australia delivered an aggressive cut in interest rates

Metals retreat despite report of buying spree

Base metals continued to retreat in spite of reports that the Chinese government was about to embark on a massive buying spree to build up strategic stocks and provide support for local producers

Oil stocks help boost FTSE 100

The FTSE 100 rallied from the previous day's sharp fall, closing up 1.4%, with oil stocks providing the main support

Australia cuts rates to a six-year low

The 100 basis point cut is the latest in response to mounting evidence that Australia's economy is cooling rapidly, with some economists predicting parts of the country are already in recession

Asia falls sharply, tracking Wall Street lower

Shares across Asia fell sharply tracking Wall Street's drop overnight by nearly nine per cent as an influential group of economists declared that the US was in recession.