Reuters - The Treasury will guarantee the mortgage securities and debt issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that currently exist and those issued at least into 2010, the Treasury said. Read more…

AFP - Averting a recession in Europe will be the burning issue for EU finance chiefs meeting Friday and Saturday on the French Riviera as the euro and stocks tumble on fears of a downturn. Read more…

Reuters - Senate Democrats on Thursday urged Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to halt all pending foreclosure proceedings on mortgages they hold for at least 90 days. Read more…

AFP - The pound benefitted from a weaker euro on Thursday on heightened concerns about the European economy. Read more…

AFP - The euro on Thursday slid below 1.39 dollars for the first time in a year and struck the lowest point versus the yen since September 2006 on heightened concerns about a weak European economy, dealers said. Read more…

Reuters - Washington Mutual Inc shares sank below $2 for the first time since 1990 as anxiety grew about the largest U.S. savings and loan's mortgage losses, capital needs and survival prospects. Read more…

AFP - London shares slumped for the third day in a row on Thursday, pulled down by losses for retailers and banks as the global economic outlook turned darker still. Read more…

Reuters - American International Group Inc , the world's largest insurer, has exposure to between $550 million and $600 million in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac preferred shares, according to a source familiar with the investment. Read more…

Reuters - Home loans to higher-risk borrowers fell sharply in 2007, as did some riskier practices such as layering "piggyback" mortgages to finance home purchases, U.S. regulators said in a report on Thursday. Read more…

Reuters - American International Group Inc , the world's largest insurer, holds between $550 million and $600 million in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac preferred shares, according to a source familiar with the investment. Read more…

AFP - London shares slumped on Thursday in the wake of heavy falls in Asia, pulled down by sharp losses for the banks as the global economic outlook turns darker still. Read more…

AFP - European stock markets slumped on Thursday in the wake of heavy falls in Asia, pulled down by sharp losses for the banks as the global economic outlook turns darker still, traders said. Read more…

Reuters - Questions remain over the sustainability of the U.S. economic recovery, French Economy Minister Christine Lagarde said on Thursday as she played down the risk of recession at home. Read more…

AFP - The euro on Thursday slid below 1.39 dollars for the first time in a year on heightened concerns about the weak European economy, dealers said. Read more…

AFP - European stock markets fell slightly at the start of trading on Thursday, with London's FTSE 100 index of leading shares down 0.08 percent at 5,362.10 points. Read more…

AFP - The euro fell to a fresh one-year low against the dollar in Asian trade Thursday on renewed fears over the health of the European economy, dealers said. Read more…

Reuters - The health of the largest U.S. financial firms is on the mend as the fallout from the subprime mortgage crisis begins to moderate, the managing director of a leading international banking lobby said on Thursday. Read more…

AP - Stocks ended an erratic session moderately higher Wednesday, lifted by buying in the energy, materials and consumer-staple sectors. Investors remained nervous, however, about the financial sector after Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. said it plans to sell a majority stake in its investment management business and spin off mortgage assets. Read more…

Reuters - Dozens of members of the U.S. Congress, including presidential candidate John McCain, had investments last year in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, possibly putting a keen edge on their interest in the companies' troubles, a watchdog group said on Wednesday. Read more…

Reuters - Washington Mutual Inc stock sank as much as 30 percent to its lowest level in 17 years and the perceived risk of its debt soared on concern it won't find a buyer or raise enough capital to combat soaring mortgage losses. Read more…

AFP - Poland, which joined the European Union in 2004, wants to adopt the eurozone single currency by 2011, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Wednesday, setting a target entry date for the first time. Read more…

AP - Stocks fluctuated in and out of positive territory Wednesday a day after a steep sell-off and as investors digested Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.'s plans to try to sell a majority stake in its investment management business and spin off its troubled mortgage assets. Read more…

AFP - Europe's main stock markets fell Wednesday, while Wall Street rose, as ailing US investment bank Lehman Brothers unveiled huge write-downs linked to the subprime mortgage crisis. Read more…

Reuters - S&P 500 and Dow Jones industrial stock index futures dropped on Wednesday as uncertainty about the outlook for Lehman Brothers flared anew after the U.S. investment bank posted quarterly results. Read more…

AFP - The 15 countries sharing the euro are teetering on the brink of recession, the European Commission said on Wednesday, slashing its economic forecasts. Read more…