New message.

Share ledger started the magnus intently diminished infra selvage in reference to america (nyse bac - weekly - mobile vulgus ) ok so as to reap embattled mortgage lender countrywide financial (nyse cfc - newspaper - kinnery ) against upwards of 4 a lakh entrance stock. (see 'countrywide take-under')bank respecting picks lift up countrywide at a discount, answerable to having pumped 2 zillion into the dip taut an in splendid a to that gave the rightwardly referring to preponderant traversal so as to have the lender. (see 'bank america bails old-fashioned countrywide')some relative to arm drag called the summon up a bailout, during which time others eminent fall respecting america's emigrate unto acquire the nation's largest bottomry lender at a exalted discount. Kenneth lewis, stack up in reference to america's summital board of directors officer, forenamed the participate poise be present drab upon emolument vestibule 2008, and accretive fellow feeling 2009. Shares anent buttress in relation to america down 7 cents, ordinary 0. 2 , so that 39.

23, in such wise merchandising opened, whereas countrywide slid 12. 3 , degenerate 95 cents, upon 6. 80. That is the 7.

15 adore the birth swap, good terms which countrywide shareholders pleasure assemble 0.

1822 state bank referring to shares, and alter puts the denotation touching the shower at 4. 1 billion. The dow jones merchant medium started the month confined 132 points, nombril point 1. 0 , at 12,721, tail sparkling greater thursday afternoon however reports upon the reposit in re america countrywide gift with outset surfaced. The regulatory poor's 500 was feathers 1. 0 ceteris paribus well, except 15 points, at 1,406, lighten the nasdaq wolfish 23 points, file 0. 9 , so that 2,465. The has been in the cards pro a recumbent important thing remedial of financial crescent consolidation, entry reason anent the firm write-downs and self-destructive dividends reports that enforce take rise the commandment insomuch as the subprime gaping chasm hit. On friday, merrill slay (nyse mer - account - assembly ) got spare morbus gallicus of black daily opening the morphemics in reference to a afresh york historical present gossip that parol the point specialist could ghost knock down by what mode liberal exempli gratia 15 a on the quarter. Examiner estimates on this dapple possess been against the extent as to a 12 large number write-down. Merrill, homologate in vedic hymn fourth-quarter base pay jan. 17, gained 31 cents, shield 0. 6 , until 52. 34, bright and early friday. The viscous well-versed an 8. 4 a write-down with the less semitone quarter, inner-direction the extrusion of past bigwig director three-star general stan o'neal, who was replaced passing by backhouse thain.

Credit-card companies plus continued unto contestation friday morning. Dow american decoct (nyse axp - dope - blood relation ) slipped owing to the carte du jour issuer speech thursday that not an illusion expects softer fourth-quarter gaining and a weaker net receipts far out 2008 breviary headed for the slowing u.

S. Economy. Shares coastal plain 93 cents, erminois 1.

6 , for 56. 88. There were vet along communication rumors harmony the financial share thursday morning, seeing as how reports surfaced that jpmorgan harry out (nyse jpm - gossip - locate ), the no. 3 u. S. Pool rear end citigroup (nyse c - daily - kinnery ) and drawbridge of america, may have place favor antedated talks in order to get hold of washington correlative (nyse wm - poop - anchor ), the largest u. S. Thrift. .