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Europe's banks borrowed nearly €490 billion or $637 billion from the European Central Bank at its first-ever offer of three-year loans on Wednesday, encouraging demand for the euro and stocks on hopes the funding will ease the two-year old debt crisis. On Wednesday at mid-day, London's FTSE 100 was down 25 points to 5,393, Germany's DAX was down 29 points to 5,819, and France's CAC 40 was off 22 points to 3,033.

Europe's banks borrowed nearly 490 billion euros from the European Central Bank at its first-ever offer of three-year loans on Wednesday, encouraging demand for the euro and stocks on hopes the funding will ease the two-year old debt crisis.

At a time of daily stock-market seizures, weekly bank and sovereign debt downgrades and monthly central bank interventions, most people are seeing the glass half empty, and have forecasted bearish -- if not downright abysmal -- market conditions for next year. A look at some of the more salient predictions.

Shares of gold and silver miners soared Tuesday after a surprisingly strong U.S. housing report sparked a global move toward risky assets that lifted equities, commodities and the euro.

European stocks edged up in thin pre-holiday trade on Tuesday at mid-day, boosted by a successful Spanish debt auction and a sharp rise in German business sentiment, though strategists said the continuing euro zone debt crisis would limit any gains.

Even the safest euro zone banks could start queuing up at the European Central Bank for cash in the next few months as their massive exposure to government debt freezes them out of money markets.

Consumer prices were flat in November as Americans paid less for cars and gasoline, a further sign of a cooldown in inflation that could give the Federal Reserve more room to help a still weak economy.

European markets recorded their worst weekly loss since late November on Friday in a choppy session, as multiple equity derivative contract expiries added to market volatility.

Fitch Ratings, the third-biggest of the major credit rating agencies, on Thursday downgraded Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank and five other large banks based in Europe and the United States, citing increased challenges in the financial markets.

European shares were slightly higher on Friday at mid-day amid thin trading as miners tracked rising metal prices, offset by lingering concerns over the Eurozone debt crisis and reservations ahead of U.S. inflation data.

European consumers show little interest in Nokia's first smartphone using Microsoft's Windows Phone software, a survey by Exane BNP Paribas showed on Friday.

World stocks rose on Friday after upbeat U.S. data and corporate results, while concerns over the European banking sector and nervousness about potential ratings downgrades in European sovereign debt underpinned German government bonds.

Fitch Ratings, the third-biggest of the major credit rating agencies, downgraded seven global banks based in Europe and the United States, citing "increased challenges" in the financial markets.

European shares rose on Thursday in thin, pre-holiday trade as recent weakness prompted some bargain hunting, though strategists said political progress on the Eurozone crisis was needed before equities could make much more progress.

The bulk of the job cuts (1750) will impact the investment banking unit, Cacib.

The euro rose in early Friday trading after a report indicated China plans to create an investment fund to deal with the eurozone debt crisis.

Stock index futures pointed to a slightly higher open for equities on Wall Street on Friday, with futures for the S&P 500, for the Dow Jones and for the Nasdaq 100 up 0.1 to 0.4 percent.

Europe's banks must find 114.7 billion euros of extra capital, more than predicted two months ago, to make them strong enough to withstand the euro zone debt crisis and restore investor confidence.

European stocks rose to a five-week closing high on Monday, after French president Nicolas Sarkozy and German chancellor Angela Merkel agreed on a range of measures to help resolve the Eurozone debt crisis.

European stocks rose early on Monday, adding to last week's 8.5 percent jump on growing hopes of a comprehensive solution to the Eurozone debt crisis as French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel meet ahead of a key summit.

Bank stocks finished up one of the best-performing weeks of the year Friday, as a global coordinated stimulus by the world's top central bankers announced Wednesday injected some badly needed liquidity into the credit markets and signaled a willingness for future intervention if the going gets tougher.

As banks around the world race to satisfy international capital requirements, they are going through a veritable fire sale, getting rid of non-core businesses no matter how much they will fetch. Beyond that, they are engaging in some odd transactions, including a substantial amount of balance sheet engineering.

European shares rose on Friday, recording their biggest weekly gain since late 2008, on hopes Eurozone leaders were coming together to find a solution to the Eurozone debt crisis.

French bank Societe Generale is to cut 700 jobs at its American and Asian operations as it pulls back on U.S. dollar lending to cut debt and strengthen its balance sheet, two trade-union sources said on Friday.

European shares rose on Friday at mid-day and were headed for their biggest weekly gain in three years on hopes of a bold solution to the euro zone debt crisis at a summit next week.

Oil jumped above the psychologically-significant $100 level on Wednesday after a coordinated move by central banks to address pressures in global money markets.

Stock index futures rose on Tuesday on investor relief over a well-received Italian bond auction that showed the highly indebted country still had access to capital markets.

Stock index futures pointed to a mixed open on Wall Street on Tuesday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.15 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.1 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.27 percent at 4:19 a.m. ET.

Stock index futures pointed to a mixed open on Wall Street on Tuesday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.15 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.1 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.27 percent at 4:19 a.m. ET.