SNAPSHOT - Financial Crisis - 2326 GMT

NEWS

- U.S. chief executives' confidence in the economy fell
further in the first quarter, a report shows

- A top European central banker warned that G20 efforts to
boost the IMF's firepower could fuel inflation

- Revised data shows euro zone economy recorded
deepest-ever quarterly fall in the last three months of 2008

- Investors seek just $1.7 bln in loans in second round of
U.S. Federal Reserve program to revive consumer lending

MARKETS

- Nikkei expected to trade narrowly, some pressure from
financial shares

- Wall Street slumps on expectations of bleak earnings
season and news of possible General Motors bankruptcy filing

- Dow ends down 186.29 points, or 2.34 pct

- Oil drops nearly $2 a barrel, tracking losses in stocks

QUOTES

"It's time for us to bite the bullet on this. The
initiative announced today is a historic nation-building
investment focused on Australia's long-term national interest."
- Kevin Rudd

"It's quite clear that risk aversion is driving the
market." - Matthew Strauss, a senior currency strategist at RBC
Capital Markets in Toronto

DIARY

(all times GMT)

WEDNESDAY, April 8

WASHINGTON - Commerce Department issues wholesale
inventories for February at 1400

WASHINGTON - Treasury Department sells 3-year notes at
1700

WASHINGTON - Federal Open Markets Committee issues minutes
from its March 17-18 meeting at 1800

(Compiled by World Desk, Washington +202 898 8457)