Reuters - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Friday it is appropriate to debate the future of mortgage finance firms Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac , but U.S. backing for debt they issue in their current form must stay firm.
AFP - Sharp falls in consumer spending in the United States and Germany deepened fears Friday of a global recession as Japan joined a growing list of major central banks in cutting key interest rates.
Reuters - While the market for initial public offerings has shut down in all industries, with no deals in the United States in nearly three months, biotechnology companies desperate for capital will likely be waiting in line far longer than others when it does re-open.