Economics / Markets

Asian stocks have slumped on Monday, extending one of the worst sell-offs in recent years, after Standard and Poor's cut the US's triple-A credit rating.

The European Central Bank said last night it would "actively implement" its controversial bond-buying programme to fight the euro zone's debt crisis, signalling it will buy Spanish and Italian government bonds.

S&P's decision to cut the US's prized AAA credit rating puts the superpower in a worse position than the Isle of Man and Hong Kong.

Credit rating agency Standard & Poor's has downgraded the US' prized AAA-rating for the first time ever.

Jobs data from the US provided some much needed respite for investors on Friday, after the latest figures beat estimates.

Henderson's Bill McQuaker on why the market has sold off

Hargreaves Lansdown's Ben Yearsley says it is important investors retain a sense of perspective and look to the long-term following the sharp falls in global stock markets.

At times like these, the common message to clients is not to panic. Is that what your peers are doing this time round, or are any big changes being made?

The national newspapers spared front-page column inches to talk of a 'Credit Crunch 2' on Friday after a global sell-off wiped trillions off the value of equities worldwide.

Royal Bank of Scotland has blamed the European crisis and PPI claims for £1.4bn losses in the first half of 2011.