United States

• Thursday, September 11th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  United State marks seventh 9/11 anniversary

  

  Memorial services are set to be held to mark the seventh anniversary of the 11 September 2001 attacks on the US.

• Thursday, September 11th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Record crude prices swell US trade deficit in July

  

  Rising oil prices swelled the United States trade deficit in July to its widest level since March 2007, according to the latest government figures. The trade deficit widened to 62.2 billion US dollars from an upwardly revised estimate of 58.84 billion in June.

• Wednesday, September 10th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Lehman almost KO and no “white knight” on sight

  

  Troubled US investment bank Lehman Brothers has reported a massive third quarter net loss and outlined radical plans to strengthen its finances.

• Monday, September 8th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  IMF praises US decision to take over mortgage agencies

  

  The United States government decision to place its leading mortgage agencies into conservatorship “will help support markets and by extension the economic and financial situation” said International Monetary Fund Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn in a Monday release.

• Sunday, September 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  US government takes control of mortgage guarantee system

  

  President George Bush announced mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have been taken over because they posed “an unacceptable risk” to the economy. The two companies account for nearly half of the outstanding mortgages in the US, and have lost billions of dollars during the US housing crash.

• Friday, September 5th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  US economy “weak, soft or subdued”, says Federal Reserve

  

  The US economy is facing slow growth and higher prices, according to the most recent survey by the Federal Reserve. Economic activity was “weak, soft or subdued” across the country, said the Fed's latest Beige Book report.

• Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Troubled icon US investment bank ready for takeover

  

  Troubled US investment bank Lehman Brothers has several parties interested in buying into the cash strapped institution according to Wall Street analysts. These include the state controlled Korea Development Bank and Europe's biggest bank HSBC Holdings together with a Chinese bank.

• Tuesday, September 2nd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Hurricane Gustav downgrade eases oil price

  

  Oil prices have fallen after weather forecasters said Hurricane Gustav had weakened as it hit the US Gulf of Mexico coast south-west of New Orleans.

• Monday, September 1st 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  New Orleans: Ghost town awaits Hurricane Gustav

  

  Hurricane Gustav began to lash the southern Louisiana coastline early Monday as it moved closer to an expected midday landfall, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

• Sunday, August 31st 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  New Orleans Mayor Orders Evacuation as Gustav Reaches Gulf

  

  The mayor of New Orleans has issued a mandatory evacuation order for the entire city, as Hurricane Gustav bears down on the US Gulf Coast.