NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks plunged to their lowest in five-and-a-half years on Wednesday as investors girded for a lengthy economic downturn and automotive executives predicted a far-reaching calamity without a government lifeline. more >>

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chances dimmed that a last-minute plan being crafted by Republican senators, with White House support, to provide $25 billion to bail out U.S. automakers would receive enough backing from Democrats to pass before the end of this week. more >>

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal Reserve officials have pared their outlook for economic growth through 2009 to minimal levels and are prepared to cut interest rates further, while concern has risen that a deflationary spiral may take hold. more >>

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The government is investigating if homeowners were misled by California bank and mortgage issuer Golden West Financial, which was acquired by Wachovia Corp -- another possible victim. more >>

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp Chief Executive Steve Ballmer ruled out an acquisition of Yahoo Inc on Wednesday but said his company was interested in resuming talks on a Web search partnership. more >>

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Citigroup Inc faced a crisis of confidence on Wednesday as investors questioned the survival prospects of the U.S. banking giant, and its shares tumbled 23 percent to a 13-year low. more >>

No, that's not Dalmatians but the number of stocks in the U.S. benchmark S&P 500 index now trading for less than $10 a share. more >>

NEW YORK (Reuters) - General Growth Properties Inc has hired law firm Sidley Austin as bankruptcy counsel as it negotiates with lenders for more time to restructure its $27 billion debt, the Wall Street Journal said on Wednesday. more >>

DETROIT (Reuters) - Shares of General Motors Corp and Ford Motor Co tumbled on Wednesday as mounting political opposition cast doubt over a proposed $25 billion government bailout for the U.S. automakers. more >>

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. life insurer MetLife Inc disclosed information about its commercial mortgage portfolio on Wednesday in an effort to soothe investors that have become increasingly skittish about investments by insurers in commercial property debt. more >>

Gen Y seems like a savvy and entrepreneurial generation that can capitalize on what it already knows to get ahead. Here's how to get started. more >>

Homeowners, savers and investors shouldn't feel bad if they are confused by the trend of banks collapsing. It's obvious the experts are confused, too. more >>

How you handle money at the beginning of your marriage can have an enormous impact on the rest of your lives together. Or your lives not together. more >>

Real estate prices have taken a tumble in the most favored vacation and retirement home markets, making it tempting for buyers scouting for getaways. more >>

There are easy, genuinely free ways to stay on top of your credit files and use them to save money. Here's what you need to know to do that. more >>

You might not be able to afford an international vacation this summer, but you may want to consider sending some of your money overseas. more >>

Several new products offer to replace interest payments and high reverse mortgage costs with an unknown share of future profits on the sale of a home. What's the catch? more >>

The economy is in a bad place and people are casting about, sometimes desperately, for ways to ease the crunch. more >>

Happily, there are ways to get the best out of summer without swimming into a deeper debt hole. Here are some summer savings tips. more >>

People are worried about job loss, debt, rising prices and not being able to sustain their retirement. Here's how to quiet that whiny voice in your head. more >>

Gas, gold, food, fuel: Up, up, up, and up. Inflation is already showing up in key commodities, and many economists think more is on the way. more >>

Stock and bond markets fell to their lowest levels since the outbreak of the economic crisis, as worries about rising defaults by borrowers drove a new wave of concern about the financial system's health.

more >>

The Dow industrials dropped 427.47 points, or 5.1%, to a 5½ year low of 7997.28 amid renewed fears that government is running out of ammunition to stabilize the financial system and the economy.

more >>

Asian stocks suffered sharp loses early Thursday amid mounting fears over a synchronized global recession. Japan's Nikkei 225 ended the morning session 4.3% lower.

more >>

Citigroup will buy the last $17.4 billion in assets held by its structured investment vehicles, resulting in a $1.1 billion write-down. Shares fell 23%.

more >>

Some mortgage companies are slashing the amount that borrowers owe, deciding that a permanent cut in the loan balance may pay off if that helps teetering borrowers avoid foreclosure.

more >>

The collapse of AIG shares might not be something former CEO Greenberg ever wished for, but it is generating big payoffs on two bets his investment vehicle made three years ago.

more >>

The SEC adopted a rule that mutual-fund companies provide short summaries of key data about their funds.

more >>

Activist hedge fund Harbinger disclosed it has reduced its exposure to New York Times and Media General, two media companies on which it gained board seats this year after proxy fights.

more >>

Credit Suisse plans to cut part of its carbon-trading desk in a restructuring.

more >>

The European corporate-bond market is beginning to show signs of reviving from the shock of Lehman's collapse in mid-September.

more >>

Lloyds TSB shareholders approved the government-backed takeover of HBOS, despite the objections from two retired banking executives.

more >>

Kurt Baker, the head of Morgan Stanley's prime brokerage in Asia, is leaving the firm. Prime brokerage has been hurt by a world-wide hedge-fund slump.

more >>

Some traders remember the day in late October when Volkswagen shares more than doubled in value, sending short sellers on a mad dash to buy back the stock.

more >>

Ambac Financial reached a deal with counterparties to commute four securitized transactions worth about $3.5 billion on Sept. 30 in exchange for a $1 billion cash payment from Ambac Assurance.

more >>

Nomura has hired around 20 former Lehman bankers in New York, but is laying off dozens in Tokyo.

more >>