EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK

Gold and gold receivables held by euro zone central banks rose by 1 million euros to 363.249 billion euros in the week ending Sept. 9, the European Central Bank said on Tuesday.

Growing fears of a Greek default sent a hurricane through heavily exposed French banks on Monday and hit the euro as investor confidence in the European currency area's ability to surmount a sovereign debt crisis ebbed.

Gold in India extended losses on Monday afternoon, following similar trend overseas, although a weaker rupee kept the downside limited, dealers said.

Stock futures pointed to sharp falls for equities on Monday after tumbling in the previous session following the resignation of a top official at the European Central Bank, with futures for the S&P 500, the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq 100 down 1.6 to 1.9 percent.

The euro hit a six-month low against the dollar and a 10-year trough versus the yen, falling below key technical levels and option barriers on worries that the euro zone's support for Greece is wobbling and the country may be forced to default on its debt.

Gold prices fought back Friday against a powerful downdraft of worry about Europe's currency, prosperity and even unity to end the day in positive territory.

U.S. stocks tumbled on Friday after the top German official at the European Central Bank resigned in protest of the bank's bond-buying program, which has been a major tool in fighting the region's debt crisis.

European Central Bank board member Juergen Stark resigned Friday, three years before his term was scheduled to end.

Investors are likely skeptical about the efficacy of Obama’s jobs program and whether or not such a massive scheme would pass Congress.

European shares kept falling Friday, with investors disappointed on U.S. stimulus measures, and banks lower after Goldman Sachs downgraded target prices across the sector.

G7 finance chiefs meet on Friday under heavy pressure to take action over flagging growth in rich nations and calm the biggest confidence crisis to hit the global economy since the 2007-09 credit crunch.

Toronto's main stock market index edged higher in cautious action on Thursday morning following weak U.S. jobs data and ahead of a speech by U.S. President Barack Obama detailing his plan for job creation.

In a dramatic policy shift, the Bank of Canada said on Wednesday it saw less need to raise interest rates, becoming the latest major central bank to take a more cautious stance about the worsening global economy.

The euro zone's most indebted nations were scrambling on Wednesday to convince investors and the rest of Europe of their commitment to tackle their debt problems, even as the bloc's main paymaster Germany battles increasing opposition to further aid.

This [austerity] is a plan the country doesn't deserve, CGIL union boss Susanna Camusso told a crowd of strikers in Rome.

Wall Street stock futures pointed to a lower open for equities on Tuesday on renewed fears the euro zone's sovereign debt crisis is worsening, with shares seen tracking a slump in European stocks on Monday when the U.S. market was closed.

South Africa's stocks fell more than 2 percent on Monday and the rand hit one-week lows to the dollar, with further losses seen this week as worries about the global economy and euro zone debt crisis persist.

ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet stepped up warnings over Italy's strained public finances on Saturday, telling the struggling center-right government it must act quickly to reassure nervous markets.

Central banks from around the world are placing record sums of money into the Fed as a safe haven, at amounts even higher than during the Lehman Brothers meltdown.

Europe's most indebted nations are under heavy pressure from their richer neighbors to sort out their finances, but they are unlikely to mimic the impoverished gentlefolk of old by selling off the family silver -- or in their case, gold -- to do so.

Financial markets kicked off September in a cautious mood Thursday with European stocks lower and world equities struggling to keep up what would be a five-day winning streak.