NIKKEI 225

The euro struggled to hold on to gains on Monday as investors sold into its latest bounce, while Asia stocks fell to hover just above eight-month lows hit on Friday on fears the euro-area debt crisis will hit world growth.

Germany's parliament approved on Friday a $1 trillion safety net to stabilize the euro as fears swirled that Europe's debt crisis and tougher financial regulation may choke economic recovery.

Gold for immediate delivery was seen trading at $1165.41 an ounce at 11.30 a.m Singapore time while US gold futures for June delivery was at $1171.84 an ounce. Equity markets across Asia fell Friday with Japan's benchmark Nikkei average sliding more than 3 percent and hitting a five-month low as exporters were hurt after the yen strengthened against the euro on worries about disunity among euro zone leaders on how to address the region's debt crisis.

Stock index futures pointed to a slightly higher open on Wall Street on Friday, following the previous session's steep sell-off, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.4 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.29 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.15 percent at 0800 GMT (4 a.m. ET).

Stocks slid further around the world on Friday on fears Europe's debt crisis and tougher financial regulation will hurt a global economic recovery, as Germany prepared to vote on a massive standby package to stabilize the euro.

Germany is poised to approve on Friday the lion's share of a $1 trillion safety net for financially troubled euro zone nations as an EU task force looks to toughen regulations within the bloc blighted by a debt crisis that has cast a pall over global economic health.

Worries over the euro zone's debt crisis hammered Asian stocks to their lowest in more than eight months and sent the euro down, struggling to stay above the previous day's four-year low as political divisions and fears of more market regulation kept investors on edge.

The euro erased initial gains and edged lower on Thursday to trade above the previous day's four-year lows as political divisions in Europe and fears of more market regulation kept investors on edge and pressured stocks.

The euro erased initial gains and edged lower on Thursday to trade above the previous day's four-year lows as political divisions in Europe and fears of more market regulation kept investors on edge and pressured stocks.

The euro struggled to retain gains on Thursday after a fragile rebound from the previous day's four-year lows as political divisions in Europe and fears of more regulations kept investors edgy and pressured stocks.

The market remains under pressure as Germany's ban on short-selling activities triggered a new round of panic selling in risky assets. WTI crude oil price extends the 7th-day decline to as low as 67.9, the lowest level since September 30, 2009. The contract has plummeted more than -20% so far in May. Despite a plunge below the OPEC's preferred range of 70-80, Saudi Arabia's financial minister stress that he's not worried about the decline and the country will commit to the planned projects.

The euro sank to four-year lows on Monday as angst over Europe's debt crisis led investors to pull more money from stocks in favor of havens such as gold and Asian bonds.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Wall Street on Monday, with futures for the S&P 500 down 0.46 percent, Dow Jones futures down 0.51 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.21 percent at 3:55 a.m. ET.

Asian stocks hit highs for the week on Thursday after new austerity steps pledged by Portugal and Spain raised hopes that Europe's debt crisis can be contained, while IBM's strong profit forecast boosted tech shares.

The euro slipped on Wednesday on nagging worries about festering euro zone debt problems despite a $1 trillion rescue package unveiled this week, which fueled a short-lived rally in global stocks.

Mizuho Financial Group Inc , Japan's second-largest bank by assets, plans to raise about 800 billion yen ($8.7 billion) in common shares to prepare for stricter capital requirements, three sources familiar with the matter said.

Shock waves from the relatively small Greek economy reverberated around the world, as investors worried about the chances of other European governments facing a similar debt crisis.

Greece's economic crisis sent shivers of fear through global markets on Thursday over concern it could spread like wildfire through Europe and beyond.

Global equities rose and the euro held on to gains on Friday as Greece readied new austerity measures to secure a multi-billion-euro aid package that could be announced in coming days.

Stocks rose on Friday and the euro steadied on hopes that a fractious European Union will agree on a bailout package for Greece within days as it struggles to keep the debt crisis from spreading to other weak countries. Shares were also buoyed by strong earnings reports from major U.S. companies, which pushed up Wall Street stocks and bolstered hopes that the world's largest economy was picking u...

World stocks bounced sharply higher on Monday as a raft of U.S. data showed economic recovery was gathering strength, but investors remained wary over Greece's debt bailout plans.