Stock Market

Qatari investors follow the stock market activity at the Doha Securities Market as the index surged on December 5, 2010, the first trading day after the Gulf state won the bid to host the 2022 football World Cup and pledged to spend heavily on infrastructure.

A Qatari trader follows the stock market activity at the Doha Securities Market as the index surged on December 5, 2010, the first trading day after the Gulf state won the bid to host the 2022 football World Cup and pledged to spend heavily on infrastructure.

A Qatari trader follows the stock market activity at the Doha Securities Market as the index surged on December 5, 2010, the first trading day after the Gulf state won the bid to host the 2022 football World Cup and pledged to spend heavily on infrastructure.

A Qatari trader follows the stock market activity at the Doha Securities Market as the index surged on December 5, 2010, the first trading day after the Gulf state won the bid to host the 2022 football World Cup and pledged to spend heavily on infrastructure.

A woman walks past the Petronas Chemicals Group signboard as the company is listed on the Malaysian Stock Market in Kuala Lumpur on November 26, 2010. The chemicals arm of Malaysian state energy firm Petronas raised 4.1 billion USD on its stock market debut in Southeast Asia's biggest ever initial public offering.

Chairman of Petronas Chemicals Group, Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin, speaks during a press conferences after the company listed on the Malaysian Stock Market in Kuala Lumpur on November 26, 2010. The chemicals arm of Malaysian state energy firm Petronas raised 4.1 billion USD on its stock market debut in Southeast Asia's biggest ever initial public offering.

Chairman of Petronas Chemicals Group, Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin (L), hits the gong to mark the listing of Petronas Chemical Group on the Malaysian Stock Market while the company's board of directors look on in Kuala Lumpur on November 26, 2010. The chemicals arm of Malaysian state energy firm Petronas raised 4.1 billion USD on its stock market debut in Southeast Asia's biggest ever initial public offering.

President and CEO of Petronas Chemicals Group, Tengku Mahamad Tengku Mahamut, takes part in a press conferences after the company listed on the Malaysian Stock Market in Kuala Lumpur on November 26, 2010. The chemicals arm of Malaysian state energy firm Petronas raised 4.1 billion USD on its stock market debut in Southeast Asia's biggest ever initial public offering.

An investor (L) watches the listing board after Petronas Chemicals Group was listed on the Malaysian Stock Market in Kuala Lumpur on November 26, 2010. The chemicals arm of Malaysian state energy firm Petronas raised 4.1 billion USD on its stock market debut in Southeast Asia's biggest ever initial public offering.

To go with Bangladesh-economy-stocks,FOCUS by Shafiq Alam Bangladeshi pedestrians walk past the Dhaka Stock Exchange in Dhaka on October 12, 2010. A flurry of cooling measures has failed to end a record-breaking bull run at Bangladesh's main stock market, with regulators now warning of an imminent crash that could devastate the broader economy.

The cheif executive officer of Enel Green Power, Fulvio Conti, gives a press conference on October 18, 2010 in Milan to announce that Italy's Enel will float its shares in its Enel Green Power subsidiary in the biggest initial public offering (IPO) in Europe since 2007. The flotation, for which plans have been suspended several times this year because of stock market weakness, is aimed at reducing the energy giant's debt.

The general director of Enel Green Power, Francesco Starace, gives a press conference on October 18, 2010 in Milan to announce that Italy's Enel will float its shares in its Enel Green Power subsidiary in the biggest initial public offering (IPO) in Europe since 2007. The flotation, for which plans have been suspended several times this year because of stock market weakness, is aimed at reducing the energy giant's debt.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 18: Traders crowd around the General Motors (GM) trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as GM returns to the US stock market on November 18, 2010 in New York, New York. Following GM CEO Dan Akerson�s ringing of the opening bell, GM shares were opening 7 per cent higher than their offer price. The surge in GM shares resulted in US stocks rising more than 1 percent overall. After a $50bn government bailout of GM 16 months ago, the iconic American auto company is set to become the largest global IPO in US financial history.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 18: 18: Traders crowd around the General Motors (GM) trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as GM returns to the US stock market on November 18, 2010 in New York City. Following GM CEO Dan Akerson�s ringing of the opening bell, GM shares were opening 7 percent higher than their offer price. The surge in GM shares resulted in US stocks rising more than 1 percent overall. After a $50bn government bailout of GM 16 months ago, the iconic American auto company is set to become the largest global IPO in US financial history.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 18: Traders crowd around the General Motors (GM) trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as GM returns to the US stock market on November 18, 2010 in New York City. Following GM CEO Dan Akerson�s ringing of the opening bell, GM shares were opening 7 percent higher than their offer price. The surge in GM shares resulted in US stocks rising more than 1 percent overall. After a $50bn government bailout of GM 16 months ago, the iconic American auto company is set to become the largest global IPO in US financial history.

A man holds a placard during a demonstration in Paris on November 23, 2010 to protest against France's government pensions reform law which increase the minimum pensionable retirement age from 60 to 62. Action against the reforms, which was passed by parliament earlier this month, could take the form of work stoppages, rallies or meetings. The placard reads : 'They CAC40 (French stock market index), the people suffers'.

Currency traders monitor exchange rates in a dealing room at the Korea Exchange Bank in Seoul on November 24, 2010. South Korea's stock market opened sharply lower, down 2.33 percent or 45.02 points, a day after North Korea shelled a border island in an attack that has triggered alarm around the world. The won opened at a two-month low of 1,175 to the US dollar on concerns about North Korea.

A Qatari investor follows the stock market activity at the Doha Securities Market as the index surged on December 5, 2010, the first trading day after the Gulf state won the bid to host the 2022 football World Cup and pledged to spend heavily on infrastructure.

A Qatari investor follows the stock market activity at the Doha Securities Market as the index surged on December 5, 2010, the first trading day after the Gulf state won the bid to host the 2022 football World Cup and pledged to spend heavily on infrastructure.

Japan Airlines president Masaru Onishi (L) speaks during a press conference at the company's Tokyo headquarters on October 26, 2010 as JAL chairman Kazuo Inamori (C) and Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corporation of Japan Committee chairman Hideo Seto (R) listen. Onishi announced the company's second term restructuring plan, asking for 270 voluntary retirements from pilots and cabin attendants. The carrier went under in January owing 26 billion USD in one of Japan's biggest-ever corporate failures, also delisting from the stock market, but has kept flying while it goes through the restructuring.

A woman passes by an electronic board showing dollar rates in Rio de Janeiro on October 07, 2010 in Brazil. Brazilian government has raised the financial operations tax (IOF in Portuguese) on foreign investment inflows from two percent to four percent, applied to capital purchases except those on the stock market. The move was part of Brazil's strategy to try to deflate the national currency, the real, which has soared to a two-year high against the dollar, making Brazilian exports increasingly uncompetitive.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 18: General Motors (GM) CEO Dan Akerson speaks with reporters on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange as GM returns to the US stock market on November 18, 2010 in New York, New York. Following Akerson�s ringing of the opening bell, GM shares were opening 7 per cent higher than their offer price. The surge in GM shares resulted in US stocks rising more than 1 percent overall. After a $50bn government bailout of GM 16 months ago, the iconic American auto company is set to become the largest global IPO in US financial history.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 18: General Motors (GM) CEO Dan Akerson sits in a GM car in front of the New York Stock Exchange as GM returns to the US stock market on November 18, 2010 in New York City. Following Akerson�s ringing of the opening bell, GM shares were opening 7 percent higher than their offer price. The surge in GM shares resulted in US stocks rising more than 1 percent overall. After a $50bn government bailout of GM 16 months ago, the iconic American auto company is set to become the largest global IPO in US financial history.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 18: General Motors (GM) CEO Dan Akerson speaks in front of the New York Stock Exchange as GM returns to the US stock market on November 18, 2010 in New York City. Following Akerson�s ringing of the opening bell, GM shares were opening 7 percent higher than their offer price. The surge in GM shares resulted in US stocks rising more than 1 percent overall. After a $50bn government bailout of GM 16 months ago, the iconic American auto company is set to become the largest global IPO in US financial history.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 18: General Motors (GM) CEO Dan Akerson stands outside of the New York Stock Exchange as GM returns to the US stock market on November 18, 2010 in New York City. Following Akerson�s ringing of the opening bell, GM shares were opening 7 percent higher than their offer price. The surge in GM shares resulted in US stocks rising more than 1 percent overall. After a $50bn government bailout of GM 16 months ago, the iconic American auto company is set to become the largest global IPO in US financial history.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 18: General Motors (GM) is listed on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as GM returns to the US stock market on November 18, 2010 in New York City. Following GM CEO Dan Akerson�s ringing of the opening bell, GM shares were opening 7 percent higher than their offer price. The surge in GM shares resulted in US stocks rising more than 1 percent overall. After a $50bn government bailout of GM 16 months ago, the iconic American auto company is set to become the largest global IPO in US financial history.

Currency traders monitor exchange rates in a dealing room at the Korea Exchange Bank in Seoul on November 24, 2010. South Korea's stock market opened sharply lower, down 2.33 percent or 45.02 points, a day after North Korea shelled a border island in an attack that has triggered alarm around the world. The won opened at a two-month low of 1,175 to the US dollar on concerns about North Korea.

Japan Airlines (JAL) president Masaru Onishi (L) takes his seat at the start of a press conference at the company's Tokyo headquarters on October 26, 2010 with JAL chairman Kazuo Inamori (R). Onishi announced the company's second term restructuring plan, asking for 270 voluntary retirements from pilots and cabin attendants. The carrier went under in January owing 26 billion USD in one of Japan's biggest-ever corporate failures, also delisting from the stock market, but has kept flying while it goes through the restructuring.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 17: A message on the news ticker at the Morgan Stanley building states 'Morgan Stanley Welcomes General Motors' as GM prepares to return to the US stock market tomorrow on November 17, 2010 in New York City. Following a $50 billion government bailout of GM 16 months ago, the iconic American auto company is set to become the largest global IPO in US financial history.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 17: A message on the news ticker at the Morgan Stanley building states 'Morgan Stanley Welcomes General Motors' as GM prepares to return to the US stock market tomorrow on November 17, 2010 in New York City. Following a $50 billion government bailout of GM 16 months ago, the iconic American auto company is set to become the largest global IPO in US financial history.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 17: A message on the news ticker at the Morgan Stanley building states 'Morgan Stanley Welcomes General Motors' as GM prepares to return to the US stock market tomorrow on November 17, 2010 in New York City. Following a $50 billion government bailout of GM 16 months ago, the iconic American auto company is set to become the largest global IPO in US financial history.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 18: Traders walk under a General Motors (GM) sign on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as GM returns to the US stock market on November 18, 2010 in New York City. Following GM CEO Dan Akerson�s ringing of the opening bell, GM shares were opening 7 percent higher than their offer price. The surge in GM shares resulted in US stocks rising more than 1 percent overall. After a $50bn government bailout of GM 16 months ago, the iconic American auto company is set to become the largest global IPO in US financial history.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 18: A General Motors (GM) car is viewed in front of the New York Stock Exchange as GM returns to the US stock market on November 18, 2010 in New York City. Following GM CEO Dan Akerson`s ringing of the opening bell, GM shares were opening 7 percent higher than their offer price. The surge in GM shares resulted in US stocks rising more than 1 percent overall. After a $50bn government bailout of GM 16 months ago, the iconic American auto company is set to become the largest global IPO in US financial history.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 18: General Motors (GM) CEO Dan Akerson rings the opening bell on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange as GM returns to the US stock market on November 18, 2010 in New York City. Following Akerson�s ringing of the bell, GM shares were opening 7 percent higher than their offer price. The surge in GM shares resulted in US stocks rising more than 1 percent overall. After a $50bn government bailout of GM 16 months ago, the iconic American auto company is set to become the largest global IPO in US financial history.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 18: A General Motors (GM) banner hangs in front of the New York Stock Exchange as GM returns to the US stock market on November 18, 2010 in New York City. Following GM CEO Dan Akerson�s ringing of the opening bell, GM shares were opening 7 percent higher than their offer price. The surge in GM shares resulted in US stocks rising more than 1 percent overall. After a $50bn government bailout of GM 16 months ago, the iconic American auto company is set to become the largest global IPO in US financial history.

Currency traders monitor exchange rates in a dealing room at the Korea Exchange Bank in Seoul on November 24, 2010. South Korea's stock market opened sharply lower, down 2.33 percent or 45.02 points, a day after North Korea shelled a border island in an attack that has triggered alarm around the world. The won opened at a two-month low of 1,175 to the US dollar on concerns about North Korea.

A Qatari investor follows the stock market activity at the Doha Securities Market as the index surged on December 5, 2010, the first trading day after the Gulf state won the bid to host the 2022 football World Cup and pledged to spend heavily on infrastructure.

A picture taken at a Hermes shop on October 25, 2010 in Paris shows the logo of French luxury goods firm Hermes. Heirs of the Hermes family, who own 70 percent of the French luxury goods firm, created on December 5, 2010 an holding with more than 50% of the capital. Shares in group Hermes were a hot item on the stock market on December 2, 2010 because traders see the founding family mounting a bitter takeover defence against giant predator LVMH.

The cheif executive officer of Enel Green Power, Fulvio Conti, gives a press conference on October 18, 2010 in Milan to announce that Italy's Enel will float its shares in its Enel Green Power subsidiary in the biggest initial public offering (IPO) in Europe since 2007. The flotation, for which plans have been suspended several times this year because of stock market weakness, is aimed at reducing the energy giant's debt.

A woman is maked up in a shop next to an electronic board showing dollar rates in Rio de Janeiro on October 07, 2010 in Brazil. Brazilian government has raised the financial operations tax (IOF in Portuguese) on foreign investment inflows from two percent to four percent, applied to capital purchases except those on the stock market. The move was part of Brazil's strategy to try to deflate the national currency, the real, which has soared to a two-year high against the dollar, making Brazilian exports increasingly uncompetitive.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 17: A message on the news ticker at the Morgan Stanley building states 'Morgan Stanley Welcomes General Motors' as GM prepares to return to the US stock market tomorrow on November 17, 2010 in New York City. Following a $50 billion government bailout of GM 16 months ago, the iconic American auto company is set to become the largest global IPO in US financial history.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 18: General Motors (GM) CEO Dan Akerson speaks with reporters on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange as GM returns to the US stock market on November 18, 2010 in New York City. Following Akerson�s ringing of the opening bell, GM shares were opening 7 percent higher than their offer price. The surge in GM shares resulted in US stocks rising more than 1 percent overall. After a $50bn government bailout of GM 16 months ago, the iconic American auto company is set to become the largest global IPO in US financial history.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 18: General Motors (GM) CEO Dan Akerson stands outside of the New York Stock Exchange as GM returns to the US stock market on November 18, 2010 in New York City. Following Akerson�s ringing of the opening bell, GM shares were opening 7 percent higher than their offer price. The surge in GM shares resulted in US stocks rising more than 1 percent overall. After a $50bn government bailout of GM 16 months ago, the iconic American auto company is set to become the largest global IPO in US financial history.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 18: General Motors (GM) CEO Dan Akerson stands outside of the New York Stock Exchange as GM returns to the US stock market on November 18, 2010 in New York City. Following Akerson�s ringing of the opening bell, GM shares were opening 7 percent higher than their offer price. The surge in GM shares resulted in US stocks rising more than 1 percent overall. After a $50bn government bailout of GM 16 months ago, the iconic American auto company is set to become the largest global IPO in US financial history.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 18: General Motors (GM) CEO Dan Akerson (red tie) rings the opening bell on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange as GM returns to the US stock market on November 18, 2010 in New York, City. Following Akerson�s ringing of the bell, GM shares were opening 7 percent higher than their offer price. The surge in GM shares resulted in US stocks rising more than 1 percent overall. After a $50bn government bailout of GM 16 months ago, the iconic American auto company is set to become the largest global IPO in US financial history.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 18: Traders crowd around the General Motors (GM) trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as GM returns to the US stock market on November 18, 2010 in New York City. Following GM CEO Dan Akerson�s ringing of the opening bell, GM shares were opening 7 percent higher than their offer price. The surge in GM shares resulted in US stocks rising more than 1 percent overall. After a $50bn government bailout of GM 16 months ago, the iconic American auto company is set to become the largest global IPO in US financial history.

A currency trader monitors exchange rates in a dealing room at the Korea Exchange Bank in Seoul on November 24, 2010. South Korea's stock market opened sharply lower, down 2.33 percent or 45.02 points, a day after North Korea shelled a border island in an attack that has triggered alarm around the world. The won opened at a two-month low of 1,175 to the US dollar on concerns about North Korea.

Currency traders monitor exchange rates in a dealing room at the Korea Exchange Bank in Seoul on November 24, 2010. South Korea's stock market opened sharply lower, down 2.33 percent or 45.02 points, a day after North Korea shelled a border island in an attack that has triggered alarm around the world. The won opened at a two-month low of 1,175 to the US dollar on concerns about North Korea.

Currency traders monitor exchange rates in a dealing room at the Korea Exchange Bank in Seoul on November 24, 2010. South Korea's stock market opened sharply lower, down 2.33 percent or 45.02 points, a day after North Korea shelled a border island in an attack that has triggered alarm around the world. The won opened at a two-month low of 1,175 to the US dollar on concerns about North Korea.

A man holds a placard during a demonstration in Paris on November 23, 2010 to protest against France's government pensions reform law which increase the minimum pensionable retirement age from 60 to 62. Action against the reforms, which was passed by parliament earlier this month, could take the form of work stoppages, rallies or meetings. The placard reads : 'They CAC40 (French stock market index), the people suffers'.