AP - Ukraine’s parliament on Friday approved legislation needed for a crucial $16.5 billion International Monetary Fund rescue loan to help the country weather the global financial crisis, which has sent its currency plummeting.

AP - Share prices on the London Stock Exchange closed higher on Friday.

AFP - Wall Street shares bounced higher Friday, prompting solid gains in Europe at the end of a month of wild volatility and huge losses amid fears a deep recession lies ahead.

AP - World markets rose Friday amid stock buying from pension funds balancing their portfolios at the month’s end and a general sense that share prices may have hit a bottom. Asian shares had earlier closed mostly lower.

AP - The International Monetary Fund on Friday denied reports it had entered talks with Bulgaria on providing financial support for the country’s emerging economy.

Reuters - Grim reports showing American consumers tightening their belts and the U.S. business outlook weakening deepened fears about global recession, while a Japanese rate cut on Friday did little to stem the bleeding.

AFP - Sharp falls in consumer spending in the United States and Germany deepened fears Friday of a global recession as Japan joined a growing list of major central banks cutting key interest rates.

Reuters - Stocks rose on Friday as financial shares gained on optimism over further signs of thawing in the credit markets, but the Dow remained on track to log its worst month in a decade after being battered by worries of a deepening slowdown.

Reuters - European airlines face a cut-throat battle to survive the winter as recession threatens the recipe many have used to ride out a spike in oil prices — sharing the pain with consumers by slapping on fuel surcharges.

Reuters - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Friday it is appropriate to debate the future of mortgage finance firms Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac , but U.S. backing for debt they issue in their current form must stay firm.