Reuters - The U.S. government enacted a landmark $700 billion bank bailout on Friday, but investors questioned whether it could contain a panic that began on Wall Street and spread to become a global financial crisis.

AFP - US stock markets fell sharply Friday after the Congress passed a huge financial rescue plan, as optimism built up earlier in the day evaporated in late trading.

AP - In the end, congressional approval of the government's $700 billion financial rescue plan Friday did little to lift the financial markets from their growing dejection over the obstacles still facing the economy. Wall Street ended an intensely volatile week with the Dow Jones industrials falling 157 points and the major indexes all suffering big losses.

AFP - The US House of Representatives on Friday approved a revised 700-billion-dollar Wall Street bailout, bowing to intense pressure to help avert a global economic meltdown.

Reuters - Shares of Wachovia Corp jumped 64 percent to $6.42 before the bell on Friday after news that the bank had agreed to merge with Wells Fargo & Co .

Reuters - Shares of Citigroup fell 8 percent to $20.69 in pre-market trade after a merger deal was announced between Wachovia Corp and Wells Fargo & Co .

AFP - Stock markets rallied Friday as investors looked to the US Congress for quick and final action on a 700-billion-dollar Wall Street bailout and took heart from a new US bank takeover.

AFP - US stocks rallied, taking European markets sharply higher Friday as hopes the US Congress will pass a multi-billion-dollar bank rescue package offset a much weaker-than-expected US employment report.

AFP - London shares closed up sharply on Friday as investors pinned their hopes on the revival of a 700-billion-dollar rescue package which goes to the vote in the US House of Representatives tonight.

Reuters - Stocks fell, shedding earlier gains on Friday, as concerns about the economy overshadowed the U.S. House of Representatives' approval of the Bush administration's $700 billion financial rescue package.

AP - European and U.S. markets brushed aside earlier losses in Asia and weaker than expected U.S. jobs data to post healthy gains Friday on expectations the U.S. House of Representative will finally back the government's $700 billion bank bailout.

AP - Stocks fluctuated while credit markets remained strained after the House approved a $700 billion financial rescue plan. While Wall Street was pleased by the bill's passage, investors also confronted their worries about a prolonged economic downturn.

Reuters - Stocks slid on Thursday as tight credit markets and bleak economic data forced investors to focus on the rocky road still ahead for the U.S. economy even if Congress passes a $700 billion rescue package this week.