Evening all. Friday's market reports:

Telegraph
The Times
The Times (Need to know)
FT
The Guardian
The Independent
This is Money

Saturday

Lloyds will join Royal Bank of Scotland as a Government-controlled bank under a deal which will see the taxpayer's stake in Lloyds rise to as much as 75pc.
Taxpayers in control of Lloyds

The outlook for all the world's major economies worsened in January, and all four BRIC countries Brazil, Russia, India and China are now experiencing a "strong slowdown", the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development said on Friday.
G7 outlook worsens, OECD says

Some bleak predictions from Morgan Stanley this morning including the forecast that UK profits could fall by 60% in the current downturn - a worse performance than the great depression of the 1930s.
Morgan Stanley predicts downturn will be worse than the Depression

China's economic leaders said today that they see signs of recovery, but vowed to act "quickly and decisively" if further help for the world's third-largest economy was needed..
Chinese finance leaders see signs of economic recovery

The insurance industry was in turmoil on Friday after three of Britain's biggest insurers refused to adopt controversial new insurance standards recently adopted other key players.
Insurers fall further as accounting row emerges over MCEV

A silent $1 trillion "Run on Britain" by foreign investors was revealed yesterday in the latest statistical releases from the Bank of England. The external liabilities of banks operating in the UK that is monies held in the UK on behalf of foreign investors fell by $1 trillion (700bn) between the spring and the end of 2008, representing a huge loss of funds and of confidence in the City of London.
'Run on UK' sees foreign investors pull $1 trillion out of the City

A possible "rogue trader" at the London offices of Merrill Lynch is being investigated over 85million he generated for the firm.
'Rogue' trader in London's $120m investigation

Apart from a fleeting window of opportunity afforded to those smart enough to pile into the share market just before the tanks rolled into Iraq in 2003, equities have not produced a real return in excess of risk-free government bonds in any period shorter than 27 years, according to the Barclays Equity Gilt Study.
Equities model looks broken

Sunday

Economists have warned that the attempt by the Bank of England to revive Britain's fortunes by injecting up to 150bn into the economy is a high-risk strategy that might not work.
Bank of England's 150bn injection may not work, economists warn

THE Bank of England expects to lose money on the 150 billion quantitative-easing scheme it unveiled last week. The scheme is intended to boost the money supply and kick-start economic growth.
Bank braced for losses over plan to print money

Much is at stake as Lord Turner prepares to announce new rules to regulate the banking system.
The shape of things to come

Lord Turner, the Financial Services Authority chairman, and Paul Tucker, the Bank of England's deputy governor, will be among the international regulators thrashing out a new code of conduct for bankers' pay and bonuses at a meeting next week.
Summit to draw up new global rules for bankers

Spurred on by Ruddock's success, others in the hedge-fund world are preparing to feast on the carcass of the insurance industry. One analyst I spoke to said he had been inundated with calls from hedge funds asking for his opinion. The smell of blood is getting stronger.
Vultures circle to feed off stricken insurance firms

THE government is finalising the terms of a rescue package for North Sea oil firms amid warnings that more than half the companies in the sector will fail this year and put tens of thousands out of work.
Rescue plan for North Sea jobs

Last week Gordon Brown joined a growing coalition of world leaders including President Barack Obama and Pope Benedict to demand action to lift the veils of secrecy that shroud the 40 or so territories around the world that thrive on tax avoidance and open them up to scrutiny and accountability.
Last orders: Is the sun about to set on tax havens?

Good morning traders!

In Asia today, the Nikkei was down 87.07 points at 7,086.03 with the Hang Seng
ended the morning off 210.22 points at 11,711.3.

Crude oil was up 74 cents at $46.50 a barrel on Nymex.

Happy Monday!

G.

Morning all. Monday's newspapers:

Spread betting companies have reported a huge wave of short euro trades in the last two weeks, leading to speculation that a significant correction in the currency will come in the next few months.
Overvalued euro set to plunge 'within months'

Global recession could blow a $700bn hole in developing countries abilities to pay for imports and meet debt obligations, the World Bank is warning. With economic activity set to contract worldwide for the first time since World War II, trade forecast for fall at its fastest rate for 80 years, and industrial production set to decline by 15 per cent, emerging economies face major difficulties.
World Bank warns on developing countries

Falls in the value of financial assets worldwide might have reached more than $50,000bn, equivalent to a years global economic output, the Asian Development Bank will warn on Monday
Plunging assets cost $50,000bn

Hedge fund investors who made money last year by betting against investment banks are now buying gold as a way of betting against central banks.
Hedge funds turn to gold

The debate about whether a new insurance accounting standard should be adopted is set to heighten after one of the world's largest insurers admitted it creates confusion.
New insurance accounting rules are confusing, says Axa

Private equity investments are held for the long term, normally for between three and five years. So even if values are falling in the short term, there is every chance comparable prices will recover by the time it comes to exit. But under new accounting rules, firms must value companies as if they were being sold today. Hence the flurry of miserable updates from the normally opaque world of private equity.
Private equity feels the pain as investment values fade

China has triumphed in a 15-year quest to become the ultimate monopolist in the supply of rare earth metals a dominance that industry experts say could give Beijing control over the future of consumer electronics and green technology.
China takes charge of keys to technologies' future

NIKKEI 225	AUSTRALIA ASX200	SHANGHAI	HANG SENG

KOSPI	VIX	GOLD	NYMEX CRUDE