Analysts expect an array of private equity firms to face pressure as profits shrink and creditors come knocking.

After decades of decline, commercial shipping has returned to the Erie Canal as high fuel prices have made barges an attractive alternative to trucks.

Lloyds TSB is likely to announce details of its offer for troubled bank HBOS later.

MPs blame British Airways and airport operator BAA for the chaotic opening of Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5.

Reuters - Panasonic Corp (6752.T) said nothing has been decided about a potential takeover of rival Sanyo Electric Co Ltd (6764.T), after sources said the companies had agreed in principle to a deal to create Japan's largest electronics maker.

South Korea sets out plans designed to boost the economy by investing in public projects and cutting taxes.

Profits at budget airline Ryanair fall 47%, but the Irish firm says it believes falling oil prices will help it bounce back.

How the Japanese giant is coping with more competition

Consumer spending in the US fell in September by the biggest amount in four years, the Commerce Department says.

Lloyds and HBOS seek to raise up to £17bn, backed by the government, as they go ahead with their proposed merger.

Reuters - As many as 1,800 publicly held institutions could apply for U.S. government investments in coming weeks, the Wall Street Journal said, citing Treasury and banking regulators.

Reuters - * SocGen says strong enough to withstand market turmoil

Reuters - Britain's biggest home lender HBOS Plc raised its hit from the value of risky assets and bad loans to over 5 billion pounds on Monday and its takeover partner Lloyds TSB warned of a sharp fall in profits.

Reuters - Wrapping up Tuesday's U.S. presidential elections, regardless of the outcome, will by itself help consumer sentiment, retailer Lowe's Cos President Larry Stone told the Wall Street Journal in an interview.

Stocks rose Monday in Europe and Asia but trading was cautious as market attention focused on the U.S. presidential election Tuesday.

European stocks rose on Monday, echoing rises in Asia, after several governments intervened to boost their economies.

Profits at budget airline Ryanair fell 47% in the first half of the financial year, the Irish firm says, as fuel costs soared.

How the global economic woes are impacting on India

Lloyds says its merger with HBOS will save it £1.5bn a year, more than expected, which could mean heavy job losses.

Reuters - PepsiCo Inc , a U.S.-based food and beverage company, said on Monday it plans to invest $1 billion in China over the next four years, as part of the company's strategy to expand in emerging markets.

South Korea announced a $10.9 billion stimulus package, the latest in a string of steps by governments seeking to prop up growth and cushion the impact of the financial crisis.

Société Générale said that net profit fell 84 percent in the third quarter after the turmoil in credit markets led to $1.54 billion of write-downs and other losses.

French bank Societe Generale sees net profit slump 84% for the third quarter, but says it is able to weather the downturn.

Oil prices have fallen to below $67 a barrel, on expectations that demand will slow as the world economy contracts.

The eurozone's economy shrank by 0.2% in the second quarter of the year, according to the European Commission.

Riding the wild swings of Nigeria's stock market

The UK's manufacturing sector shrunk for a sixth straight month in October but remained above September's low, figures indicate.

The Indian government approves a new bill that could allow foreign investors much larger stakes in domestic insurance companies.

Reuters - Futures for the Dow Jones industrial average, the Nasdaq 100 and the S&P 500 share indexes were up 0.2-0.5 on Monday, pointing to a higher start on Wall Street.

Reuters - As many as 1,800 publicly held institutions could apply for U.S. government investment in coming weeks, the Wall Street Journal said, citing Treasury and banking regulators.

Reuters - Oil drifted lower toward $67 a barrel on Monday as traders shifted their focus back to slowing global energy demand linked to the financial crisis.

Commerzbank on Monday became the first commercial lender in Germany to accept government cash, while several other European banks reported poor earnings.

Stocks fluctuated Monday in Europe after gains in Asia but trading was cautious as market attention focused on the U.S. presidential election Tuesday.

Brokers at the New York Stock Exchange have come to personify the life-altering thing called Wall Street.

Top commanders believe the financial meltdown will have a serious impact on future Pentagon spending.

The consumer electronics retailer said it would close about 20 percent of its American stores in an effort to return to profitability.

Crude oil prices are hovering around $67 a barrel, on expectations that demand will continue to slow as the world economy contracts.

Two of Brazil's biggest banks, Itau and Unibanco, announce a merger that will create the biggest financial group in South America.

Norwegian oil and gas company Statoil Hydro sees quarterly profits fall by more than a half because of higher taxes.

Gordon Brown urges the next US president to show leadership on global financial reforms and and not retreat into protectionism.

Internet provider Tiscali says it is in talks with broadcast giant BSkyB about the sale of its UK business.

Reuters - Stocks were slightly lower at the open on Monday as caution ahead of key economic data offset signs of more thawing in credit markets.

Reuters - Circuit City Stores Inc is closing 155 stores and considering all options to restructure its business as the consumer electronics retailer struggles with a deteriorating liquidity position and tighter credit conditions from vendors.

AP - Circuit City Stores Inc. said Monday it is pulling the plug on about 20 percent of its U.S. stores in an effort to return the nation's No. 2 consumer electronics retailer to profitability.

Stocks were slightly higher in early trading as investors awaited reports on construction, manufacturing and auto sales and look ahead to Tuesday?s presidential election.

A key measure of manufacturing activity plummeted in October, falling far worse than analysts had expected.

World stock markets rose on Monday, after climbs in Asia as governments intervened to boost their economies.

The economic slowdown continues to affect the sale of new cars in Spain and France, official figures suggest.

US electronics firm Circuit City says it will close about 20% of its US outlets in a bid to return to profit.

Reuters - The Nasdaq rose on Monday as investors snapped up biotechnology shares following broker upgrades on Biogen's stock, but the Dow and the S&P 500 were little changed on concerns that the economic downturn might be deepening.

Reuters - Goldman Sachs Group Inc will likely post a fourth-quarter loss, its first ever as a public company, due to the 'stressed' equity environment over the past two months, which will also weigh on Morgan Stanley's quarterly results, Merrill Lynch analyst Guy Moszkowski said.

Facing tightened credit markets and an economic slowdown, Ford and Toyota reported selling far fewer vehicles than a year ago.

As a momentous week for Washington opened, stocks stayed flat amid downbeat reports on the construction and manufacturing industries.

The F.C.C. will vote on Tuesday on a proposal to make a disputed chunk of radio spectrum available for public use.

This week, Bettina Seidman, a career coach and founding member of Career Counselors Consortium, will be answering selected readers' questions.

US manufacturing fell in October to its lowest level for 26 years, far lower than the market had expected.

The government gives details of the new firm that will look after its shareholdings in the banks.

Skipton Building Society agrees to merge with the smaller Scarborough Building Society as the mutual sector continues to shrink.

Reuters - Stocks mostly rose on Monday amid signs of further thawing in the credit markets and after Wachovia said telephone companies Verizon and AT&T were safe havens in an economic slowdown.

Reuters - Ford Motor Co on Monday posted an unadjusted 30.2 percent plunge in U.S. auto sales in October under pressure across all vehicle segments amid the slowing domestic economy and weak consumer confidence.

Reuters - Oil fell over 5 percent on Monday as further indicators of falling global demand linked to a potential recession offset OPEC plans to reign in output.

Faced with an economy that is slipping into recession, the Spanish government said it would allow out-of-work homeowners to defer mortgage payments.

Asian stock markets rise on Monday, sending European markets higher, although the US was barely changed.

Reuters - Stocks slipped on Monday, pulled down by energy shares that followed oil prices lower, while economic concerns nagged after a report showed manufacturing shrank further in October.

Reuters - U.S. auto sales plunged near 25-year lows in October, led by a 45 percent drop at General Motors Corp , with no sign the industry's year-long slump had hit bottom and doubts persisting that all the major automakers can survive.

Reuters - Chrysler LLC took recent cost-cutting moves to survive a steep sales downturn and the turmoil in financial markets, Chief Executive Bob Nardelli said on Monday.

Reuters - Oil fell nearly 6 percent on Monday as further indicators of falling demand linked to a potential recession offset OPEC plans to reign in output.

A momentous week for Washington began quietly on Wall Street, where stocks were mixed amid downbeat reports on the construction, manufacturing and auto industries.

The media conglomerate said that its third-quarter profit fell 37 percent from a year ago as Paramount Pictures? theatrical revenue fell more than a third and advertising revenue declined.

Hurt by a legal charge, Mastercard said it swung to a loss in the third quarter.

Business travelers of all political affiliations reported an unusual amount of political conversation in the last few months from airplane seatmates.

European finance ministers are gathering in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss what happens next in the banking crisis.

US banks tighten up on lending, despite the rescue package designed to encourage them to lend normally.

Crude oil prices fall below $64 a barrel, on expectations that demand will continue to slow as the world economy contracts.

Reuters - Stocks ended little changed on Monday as investors picked up bargains on signs of further thawing in credit markets, but were unwilling to place big bets before the presidential election.

Reuters - Viacom Inc (VIAb.N), owner of MTV Networks and Paramount movie studio, reported a 37 percent drop in third-quarter earnings, further evidence that major media companies are suffering from an intensifying advertising slump.

Reuters - MasterCard Inc , the world's second-largest card network, on Monday posted better-than-expected earnings, excluding items, as revenue rose, sending shares up 5 percent in after-hours trade.

The experience of Zaragoza, the capital of Spain?s fastest-growing region, illustrates how the crisis spreading beyond real estate and finance to fundamental sectors of the European economy.

The two companies have offered to significantly narrow the scope of their advertising partnership in hopes of obtaining the approval for their deal from the Justice Department.

The private equity firm said it was delaying the purchase of a publicly listed affiliate until next year, a step it was to take before it could go public itself.

Business travelers of all political affiliations reported an unusual amount of political conversation in the last few months from airplane seatmates.

The classic car industry feels the economic pinch

Reuters - Internet search leaders Yahoo and Google have given the Justice Department a revised version of their search advertising partnership in hopes of winning antitrust approval, a source close to the discussions told Reuters.

Reuters - U.S. retail chains may report one of their worst monthly sales results this week as a global financial crisis leaves its mark on ordinary consumers, casting new doubt on holiday season sales.

A committee of five little-known officials is picking winners and losers among institutions seeking a slice of the bailout.

A Federal Reserve survey found that a high number of banks had reported tighter credit standards across a broad range of loan products.

With hotel profits under siege, this is not the time to be making your most loyal customers unhappy.

Britain?s small businesses are demanding cheaper credit and tax breaks after a multibillion-pound government bank bailout failed to immediately free up credit.

A bank takeover in Brazil may have concerned regulators in boom times, but in a global slowdown, such concentration may provide some comfort.

Belo Corporation said its quarterly profit was hurt by the economic downturn and hurricanes that struck its markets in Texas.

The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China won its first overseas regional-jet order, worth about $750 million, from General Electric.

The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company posted a smaller-than-expected drop in quarterly profit, thanks to cost cutting measures.

Scouting photo shoot locations around the globe, you get better at solving travel-related problems.

Among the reasons for the sharp drop in half year profits, the low-cost airlines cited higher fuel prices accounted for half of Ryanair?s operating costs in the time period.

The company is considering a price of $7 for the items, but has not set a date to start the sales.

Reuters - U.S. auto sales plunged 32 percent in October to lows unseen in a quarter-century led by a 45 percent drop at General Motors Corp in a collapse that hit every major automaker and offered little sign that the industry has hit bottom in its largest market.

Governments around the world are stepping up efforts to prop up growth and cushion the impact of the financial crisis through various intervention mechanisms.

European finance ministers vowed instead to coordinate national policies as they try to limit the fallout from a recession on consumers and companies.

Confronted by the financial crisis, Ukraine?s leaders are locked in a power struggle that has paralyzed the state.

How difficult is it for people with limited income to eat a healthful diet?

Marketers, borrowing a page from the electoral playbook, are becoming more willing to run aggressive ads in which brands attack their competitors by name.

At least one broadcast network and one Web site said that they could foresee signaling an apparent winner early Tuesday evening.

The lawsuit filed by Hexion Specialty Chemicals against the banks that are refusing to finance its $6.5 billion takeover of its rival, the Huntsman Corporation, will go to trial on Jan. 8.

How to curb executive pay has become a hot-button issue now that American taxpayers are shareholders in the nation?s largest banks.