Hello traders!

In the US the DJIA closed up 279.01 points at 8,228.1, with the S&P500 ahead
35.03 points at 840.25 and the Nasdaq Composite 66.21 points better at 1,507.07.

Crude oil for March delivery rose $2.71 to $43.55 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

See you in the morning with the latest....

G.

Good morning traders!

In Asia today, the Nikkei was up 150.1 points at 8,051.74, while the Hang Seng
reached the midday break up 215.12 points at 12,798.75.

Happy trading!

G.

Morning all. Market reports:

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

China's economic growth slowed dramatically towards the end of last year, seeming to bear out a warning this week from Premier Wen Jiabao that 2009 would be the most difficult year so far this century for its development.
China's economic growth in dramatic slowdown

US Treasury Secretary designate Tim Geithner is considering the use of a giant government-funded "bad bank" to help the country's financial sector as he said President Barack Obama would set out a full recovery plan for the ailing US economy within weeks
Obama administration considers launch of 'bad bank'

A rift has opened up between the government and the financial authorities after a furious Alistair Darling was kept in the dark over the lifting of the ban on short-selling, which may have contributed to this week's tumultuous crash in the value of banking shares. The chancellor is thought to have been given just one hour's notice by the Financial Services Authority that hedge funds would once again be able to place bets that bank shares would fall. Darling believes the ban will have to be reintroduced, given the fragility of the financial system
Darling kept in dark as FSA lifted ban on short-selling

The chairman of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) announced dramatic changes to banking regulation last night, including much higher capital ratios and new liquidity requirements.
FSA gets tough on banking regulation

Sterling slumped to its lowest level against the dollar for nearly a quarter of a century today on persistent fears about the health of Britain's banks and worries that the cost of bailing them out could be a millstone round the economy's neck for many years to come.
Pound slumps ever closer to parity with the dollar

The Government is in talks with Barclays after the bank admitted that raising extra capital could trigger a clause that would deliver control to its Middle East investors. Government insiders were last night reeling at the possibility that helping Barclays could see Britain's fourth biggest lender automatically delivered to the Middle East as the result of a little known clause agreed in the bank's October capital raising.
Barclays may lose control to Gulf investors

A clause inserted during the Abu Dhabi Royal Familys investment in Barclays last October has made it practically impossible for the Government to take a meaningful stake in the bank, The Times has learnt.
Government prevented from taking Barclays stake by deal with Abu Dhabi

The scale of the crisis gripping the global hedge fund industry was illustrated today by figures showing that panicked investors withdrew $525bn (380bn) in the second half of 2008 to avert huge losses on volatile global financial markets.
End of an era: crunch blows $525bn hole in hedge funds

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KOSPI	VIX

End-of-day Market Overview