Nomura Holdings, Japanâ??s largest brokerage, posted a $3.8bn loss for the fourth quarter, hit by the cost of buying Lehman Brothersâ?? operations and trading losses amid financial market turmoil.
Spain became the first country to lose its triple A credit rating from Standard & Poorâ??s since Japan in 2001, spurring a slide in the euro as the economic outlook for Europe worsened.
The Dublin government on Thursday night nationalised Anglo Irish Bank, Irelands third largest lender, amid a collapsing share price and reports of large-scale deposit withdrawals by its customers.
Bank of America (BoA) will receive $20bn in fresh capital from the US government and a guarantee on a further $118bn of potential losses on troubled assets.