BNP PARIBAS

European shares extended the previous session's rally Friday, with investors still buoyant over a deal struck by euro zone leaders early Thursday to help end the bloc's two-year-old debt crisis.

Asian stocks headed for their best week in nearly three years after a long-awaited plan to resolve the European debt crisis sparked a huge relief rally in riskier assets, while the euro took a breather after jumping to a seven-week high.

The late-night rescue package agreed by euro zone leaders to cool their dangerous debt crisis will at least allow investors to look at other things for a while.

Europe's banks were told to cut dividends and bonuses to help them find 106 billion euros ($146 billion) to shore up their capital, and agreed to halve the value of their Greek government debt.

World stocks and the euro rose to their highest levels in nearly two months on Thursday after European leaders struck a deal to resolve a two-year-old sovereign debt crisis, which threatens the survival of the single currency.

European stock index futures fell on Wednesday, after Asian shares traded lower for most part on growing concerns that the outcome from a key meeting of European policymakers to contain the debt crisis may fall short of expectations.

Asian shares declined on Wednesday ahead of a key meeting of European policymakers later in the session, with concerns heightening that the outcome to contain Europe's sovereign debt crisis could fall short of expectations.

Asian shares declined Wednesday ahead of a key meeting of European policymakers later in the session, as investors feared the effort to contain Europe's sovereign debt crisis could fall short.

The Bank of Canada will keep rates on hold until the third quarter of next year amid slow global growth and the risk that Europe's debt crisis will linger on, according to a Reuters survey released on Tuesday.

Stock index futures pointed to a higher open for equities on Wall Street on Friday, with futures for the S&P 500, for the Dow Jones and for the Nasdaq 100 up 0.6-0.7 percent.

Gold fell nearly one percent and silver dropped three percent as precious metals followed the stocks down in a generally gloomy outlook for U.S. and European economies.

BNP Paribas cut its gold price forecasts for 2011 through 2013, following the recent pullback in the precious metal's prices and said a further correction may be possible in the near term.

The euro rose to its highest in more than a week versus the dollar Monday, supported by a renewed German and French pledge to unveil a comprehensive plan by the end of the month to rescue the region from a sovereign debt crisis.

Franco-Belgian bank Dexia agreed early on Monday to the nationalization of its Belgian banking division and secured 90 billion euros ($121 billion) in state guarantees in a rescue that could pressure other euro zone governments to strengthen their banks.

European banks -- particularly those based in France and Germany with heavy exposure to Greek government bonds -- are suffering the worst damage.

European stocks are dropping on reports that the Greek government will not achieve the deficit targets it needs to receive the next tranche of the bailout from the European Union (EU) and International Monetary Fund (IMF).

U.S. stocks have opened sharply lower in Thursday morning trading following an overnight plunge in global markets. Equities have tumbled largely in response to the Federal Reserve’s grim warning about the state of the U.S. economy and the establishment bond swap program.

Foreign equities tumbled largely in response to the Federal Reserve’s grim warning about the state of the U.S. economy.

Gold and silver prices slipped modestly and the U.S. dollar edged higher Wednesday as the financial world awaited results of a two-day meeting by leaders of the U.S. central bank that was expected to result in fresh efforts to stimulate business.

Asian stocks drifted slightly lower Wednesday and the euro clawed back lost ground as investors waited for the end of a Federal Reserve policy meeting that may act to stimulate the U.S. economy.

Standard & Poor's cut Italy's credit rating on Tuesday in a surprise move that increased strains on the debt-stressed euro zone and raised pressure on policymakers to take more decisive action to resolve the crisis.