New York - Washington Mutual Inc (WaMu), the largest savings and loan association in the United States, has approached a number of private equity firms to gauge their 
interest in a takeover to shore up its financial position, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

The Seattle-based lender has lost more than 90 per cent of its share value in the past 12 months, suffering the effects of the credit crisis. Chairman Kerry Killinger stepped 
down in June 2008.

Sydney - The Australian share market gave up some of its recent gains Thursday as investors waited for the promised billion-dollar Wall Street bailout.

The ASX 200 fell 54 points, or 1 per cent, to 4,972.

The market was dragged down by resources stocks, on fears that a global recession will crimp demand for leading exports like coal and iron ore. BHP Billiton, the world's biggest mining company, was down 4 per cent.

Indian equities, today (Sep 25), opened positively and soon slipped into the negative zone. After trading negatively for few minutes, the index bounced back into positive and again fell into the negative to trade on a flat note. 

The stock index is presently trading in a volatile manner prior to September series F&O expiry. Moreover, the question regarding the fate of the US financial sector bailout plan will carry on disturbing the market reaction.

Washington - US President George W Bush plans to meet Thursday in Washington with presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain as well as congressional leaders to discuss the ongoing US financial crisis and a proposed 700-billion-dollar rescue.

Congress turned increasingly skeptical in hearings Wednesday toward the Bush administration's bailout plan. The president was scheduled to give a television address to the nation late Wednesday.

Tokyo - Tokyo stocks opened lower Thursday as investors sold stocks to lock in profits amid uncertainties over the fate of the US government's financial bailout plan.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average declined 103.72 points in morning trading, or 0.86 per cent, to 12,011.31.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was also down 10.52 points, or 0.9 per cent, at 1,157.45.

Tokyo players sold a wide range of issues amid concern about when the US Congress would pass a government plan to bail out distressed financial institutions.