Life the Universe and ....: More economic issues

Obama sets executive pay limits for bailout companies... Could Seriously Hurt New York? Critic: 'This is pure political grandstanding'... BANK OF AMERICA tumbles on nationalization worries... Treasury in plans for record debt sale... Moscow abandons bail-outs for bank aid... Bank of England cuts rates to record low of 1%... TOP GERMAN BANK POSTS FIRST LOSS SINCE WWII; REJECTS STATE AID

Mexico’s Central Bank Intervenes to Halt Peso Slide: The intervention is an “extraordinary” measure beyond the bank’s normal offer to buy $400 million worth of pesos a day, the press office said.

Striking workers stand firm on British jobs: Day eight of the unofficial strike action over the use of foreign labour at Lindsey Oil Refinery would see no let up in the battle which has seen walkouts across the UK.

Panasonic announces 15,000 layoffs: The Osaka-based company forecast on Wednesday that it would shed about five per cent of its workforce and register a loss of $4.2bn for the fiscal year ending in March

Private Sector Cuts 522,000 Jobs in January: U.S. stock index futures gained more ground after the data. U.S. government bonds, which usually benefit from weak economic data, pared their gains after the ADP report.

Auto sales hit 27-year low: - U.S. auto sales plunged to a 27-year low in January, a steeper-than-expected drop that took the slumping U.S. market below China's for the first time.

Foreclosures Now One in Five Home Sales: The declines mean that U.S. homeowners lost a cumulative $3.3 trillion in home values during 2008, with much of that loss coming in the fourth quarter.

Obama: Catastrophe Coming If Stimulus Not Passed: President Obama said Wednesday the recession will turn into "a catastrophe" if the economic stimulus is not passed quickly, lobbying anew for the plan as its price tag climbed above $900 billion and drew more criticism.

Goldman, JPMorgan Won't Feel Exec Salary Caps

Madoff Witness Talks Of Other Schemes

Now Auto-Parts Companies Seek Bailout Money

Time Warner Posts $16 Billion Loss

CEOs Feel 'Entitled' - Vid

Britain Heads To Deepest Slump In 60 Years

EU, Canada Warn US Over 'Buy America' Clause

Obama Buckles On Buy American Plan

BoE Must Act Fast On Inflation

Ford And GM Car Sales In Free Fall

Warren Buffett Injects $300M Into Harley Davidson

Firm Hired To Trace Madoff's UK assets