AFP - The London stock market nosedived 7.85 percent on Monday, hitting a four-year trough on investor concerns about the spreading global financial crisis, dealers said.

Reuters - Governments and central banks around the world grasped at measures to contain the fast-spreading financial crisis on Monday but global stocks still plummeted as investors bet a recession was inevitable.

AP - Germany became the latest country to move to allay fears about the financial meltdown, enhancing a rescue plan for Hypo Real Estate AG and guaranteeing private bank accounts as European governments scrambled on their own Sunday to save failing banks.

AP - Germany on Sunday guaranteed all private bank accounts and negotiated a 50 billion euro ($69 billion) bailout deal for Hypo Real Estate AG as Europe's second largest economy sought to ward off financial crisis.

AP - German Chancellor Angela Merkel says her government is working hard to keep Hypo Real Estate AG afloat because it will not let the failure of any company disrupt Europe's biggest economy.

AFP - EU regulators have provisionally approved the original three-country bailout package for troubled finance group Fortis, a spokesman said Sunday, though the deal is swiftly being superceded.

AP - Germany became the newest European country to allay fears about the financial meltdown, guaranteeing private bank accounts as governments scrambled on their own to save failing banks.

AP - Europe's four major powers vowed Saturday to do all they could to prevent Wall Street's turmoil from destabilizing their banking systems — even as a $48 billion plan to save a German lender fell apart.

AFP - European leaders have agreed to ask for the early release of 32 billion euros (25 billion pounds) in European funds to help small businesses weather the global finance crisis, Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said.

AFP - Britain will urge the early release of 12 billion pounds (15 billion euros, 21 billion dollars) in funds committed to helping small business in Europe, when Prime Minister Gordon Brown meets with other European leaders Saturday.