Source: Reuters

Stock index futures fell on Monday on signs the global credit crisis was intensifying as European authorities rescued two embattled banks and U.S. lawmakers prepared to vote on a $700 billion emergency bailout plan.

By 4:44 a.m. EDT, S&P 500 futures were down 1.9 percent, Dow Jones futures were down 1.6 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures were down 1.9 percent.

European stocks tumbled 2.5 percent on Monday after the Belgian, Dutch and Luxembourg governments agreed to inject 11.2 billion euros ($16.4 billion) into crippled lender Fortis, which became the first major casualty of the credit crisis in the euro zone.

Stricken UK lender Bradford & Bingley was also nationalised after its branch network and deposit business was sold to Spain’s Banco Santander.

Stateside, congressional leaders from both parties said they reached a tentative agreement on the bailout plan aimed at purging banks’ balance sheets from bad mortgage-related debt and unclogging the financial system.

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Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States