Reuters - Investors' growing belief in the likelihood of a federal bailout of home-funding giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac triggered a rally in the debt prices of the two companies on Thursday while a steep fall in their shares prices abated.

Reuters - Wall Street research analysts are projecting yet another tough quarter for U.S. investment banks marked by additional writedowns across a series of fixed-income assets amid an already weak operating environment.

AFP - US private equity group Lone Star is to take over IKB, the German bank rescued by state development bank KfW after falling victim to the subprime mortgage meltdown, KfW said Thursday.

Reuters - Stocks fell on Thursday on fears of more credit losses on Wall Street while soaring oil prices rekindled concern about consumer and business spending.

AP - Shares of troubled mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac stabilized Thursday in late morning trading, reversing three days of double-digit declines.

AP - Stocks fluctuated Thursday as a surge in oil prices fanned investors' growing inflation concerns. But a rebound in shares of mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and gains by energy companies helped stocks pull off their lows.

Reuters - Heightened expectations for a government bailout of U.S. home-funding giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac drove their debt prices higher on Thursday as investors bet the securities will be guaranteed by the U.S. government even if shareholders are wiped out.

Reuters - Thousands of homeowners with distressed mortgage loans linked to failed lender IndyMac may soon be able to avoid foreclosure under a program announced on Wednesday by U.S. banking regulators.

AFP - US mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac saw their share prices plummet Wednesday amid heightened concerns about their ability to ride out the credit crisis without government help.

Reuters - U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday as bank and energy shares rebounded even as investors dumped Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on fears of an imminent government bailout of the housing finance companies.

Reuters - Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac shares plunged to their lowest levels in almost 20 years on Wednesday, while the mortgage companies' bonds rallied on the belief that an increasingly likely government bailout would wipe out shareholders but secure their massive debt.