Stocks in Asia and Europe dove once again today, with banks leading losses as the continuing economic downturn hit corporate profits. The Nikkei in Tokyo closed down 6.8%, and London's FTSE opened down 2.3% after the Bank of England said that the country is in a recession. Meanwhile the dollar soared to $1.62 against the pound—a 5-year high—and hit new levels against the euro.
(More Nikkei stories.)