AFP - Shares in the top home-loan lender HBOS swung wildly on Wednesday amid a report it might be taken over, spinning London stocks into volatile uncertainty after an overnight rescue for US insurer AIG.

AFP - The European economy will suffer collateral damage from the crisis roiling the financial sector, although the extent of the fallout remains to be seen, ministers and analysts warned on Wednesday.

AFP - London shares closed sharply lower on Wednesday, giving up early gains sparked by the overnight rescue of US insurance giant AIG and amid news of takeover talks between Lloyds TSB and struggling mortgage lender HBOS.

AFP - Global stock markets hit fresh trouble Wednesday, with early gains made on the unprecedented US government bailout of giant insurer AIG turning to dust as investors wondered where the next blow would fall.

AP - Russia cemented its ties with Georgia's two breakaway provinces on Wednesday by signing friendship treaties envisaging close economic and military cooperation.

AFP - US financier George Soros warned in a television interview Tuesday that the turmoil in the financial markets was far from over, with Britain likely to be the economy most badly hit by the crisis.

AFP - The share price of bank HBOS tumbled by 35 percent in early morning trade here on Wednesday, dragging London's FTSE 100 leading shares index back into negative territory.

AFP - London's FTSE 100 index of leading shares on Tuesday tumbled below 5,000 points for the first time in more than three years as global financial markets continued to suffer from the collapse of Lehman Brothers.

AP - World stock markets swooned again Tuesday as the global financial crisis caused investors to worry that asset prices have yet to hit rock bottom.

AFP - The FTSE index was down 3.43 percent to 5025.6 points as traders continued to react to the global panic caused by the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers bank.

AP - Asian stock markets tumbled Tuesday as the collapse of Lehman Brothers and takeover of Merrill Lynch spurred fears of a global financial crisis. European markets, which fell sharply Monday, extended losses in early trading.

AFP - Lehman Brothers declared itself bankrupt Monday and Wall Street rival Merrill Lynch had to be taken over in a new financial earthquake that sent global markets into a slump.

AFP - London's FTSE 100 index of leading shares plunged 5.25% in midday trade on Monday following the collapse of US investment giant Lehman Brothers.