LIBYA

Saudi King Abdullah returned home on Wednesday after a three-month medical absence and unveiled benefits for Saudis worth some $37 billion (23 billion pounds) in an apparent bid to insulate the world's top oil exporter from an Arab protest wave.

Thousands of Libyans celebrated the liberation of the eastern city of Benghazi from the rule of Muammar Gaddafi, who was reported to have sent a plane to bomb them on Wednesday as he clung to power.

As much as a quarter of OPEC member Libya's oil output has been shut down, Reuters calculations showed on Wednesday, as unrest prompted oil firms to warn of production cuts in Africa's third-largest producer.

Governments around the world scrambled on Wednesday to send planes and ships to evacuate their citizens from turmoil in Libya, whose leader Muammar Gaddafi has vowed to crush a revolt against his 41-year rule.

Muammar Gaddafi's attempts to crush a revolt against his four-decade rule have killed as many as 1,000 people and split Libya, Italy's Foreign Minister said on Wednesday.

Tens of thousands of foreign nationals are fleeing Libya as the unrest against Moammar Gaddafi shows no signs of letting up.

The vice around Moammar Gaddafi’s neck is twisting ever tighter.

With Libya and Bahrain joining Tunisia and Egypt in the tally of revolting Middle Eastern states, RBC Capital Markets has considered what the fundamental and stock price impact could be on the Aerospace & Defense sector.

US stocks were mixed in early trade on Wednesday after plunging in the previous session amid political unrest in the Middle East.

Confusion regarding Libyan leader Muammer Gaddafi's name whether it is spelled Qadaffi, Gathafi or Kaddafi remains. Is he a despot, tyrant or an astute politician - these titles are subject to interpretation. But his army of female virgin bodyguards offers a clue.

Spot gold was bid at $1,401.50 an ounce at 0933 GMT, against $1,399.20 late in New York on Tuesday. U.S. gold futures for April delivery eased 30 cents an ounce to $1,400.80.

Most Asian stocks ended lower on Wednesday, led by declines from airlines as crude oil prices surged on growing fears that Libya may descend into a civil war after Colonel Moammar Gaddafi warned that he would never give up his power and would rather die a “martyr.”

Peru has suspended diplomatic ties with Libya, condemning Gaddafi regime's use of force against anti-government civilian demonstrators.

After the Tunisian and Egypt revolution, it is Libya in the news this time. A state of unrest and chaos prevailed in the North African state of Libya as protests grew against its government and head of state, Muammar al-Gaddafi.

A senior Libyan official who left the Gaddafi camp has said the embattled leader will either commit suicide or will get killed and that the people's revolution is days, if not hours, away from victory.

Gaddafi's numerous utterances on Tuesday betrayed borderline mania all serious dictatorships are imbued with.

U.S. stocks plunged and oil prices surged on growing fears that Libya may descend into a civil war after Colonel Moammar Gaddafi warned that he would never give up his power and would rather die a “martyr.” The concerns about Libya vastly overshadowed some surprisingly good consumer confidence data in the U.S.

U.S. stocks plunged and oil prices surged on growing fears that Libya may descend into a civil war after Colonel Moammar Gaddafi warned that he would never give up his power and would rather die a “martyr.” The concerns about Libya vastly overshadowed some surprisingly good consumer confidence data in the U.S.

Gold fell back slightly toward $1,400 an ounce on Tuesday, breaking a six-session rally, as turmoil in Libya prompted bullion investors to take profits and as sharp losses in equities and other commodities markets prompted margin selling.

The CBOE Volatility Index, or VIX, the index that Wall Street uses to gauge fear among investors, spiked almost 28 percent today, almost entirely to the ongoing turmoil in Libya.

U.S. stocks plunged and oil prices surged on growing fears that Libya may descend into a civil war after Colonel Moammar Gaddafi warned that he would never give up his power and would rather die a “martyr.” The concerns about Libya vastly overshadowed some surprisingly good consumer confidence data in the U.S.