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| European markets swing higher in mid-morning trade | European markets swing higher in mid-morning trade |
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| European stocks have moved higher as the latest move to restore market order - a ban on short-selling of some financial shares - takes effect. | European stocks have moved higher as the latest move to restore market order - a ban on short-selling of some financial shares - takes effect. |
| Overnight, four eurozone countries - France, Italy, Spain and Belgium - banned short-selling of some stocks in an attempt to stabilise markets. | Overnight, four eurozone countries - France, Italy, Spain and Belgium - banned short-selling of some stocks in an attempt to stabilise markets. |
| After initial falls, London's FTSE 100 and Paris's Cac indexes were up about 2%. Frankfurt's Dax was up almost 3%. | After initial falls, London's FTSE 100 and Paris's Cac indexes were up about 2%. Frankfurt's Dax was up almost 3%. |
| Earlier, Asian stocks were mixed as global trading remains nervy. | Earlier, Asian stocks were mixed as global trading remains nervy. |
| Short-selling involves investors selling stocks they do not own in the expectation they will drop in price before buying them back and pocketing the difference. | Short-selling involves investors selling stocks they do not own in the expectation they will drop in price before buying them back and pocketing the difference. |
| The last time major Western countries made a similar move was in 2008 after the collapse of Lehman Brothers prompted the US and the UK to curb the practice. | The last time major Western countries made a similar move was in 2008 after the collapse of Lehman Brothers prompted the US and the UK to curb the practice. |
| Both countries' market authorities said they had no plans to introduce another ban. | Both countries' market authorities said they had no plans to introduce another ban. |
| Weak economies | Weak economies |
| Investors remain wary of investing while deep fears about eurozone and US debts remain. | Investors remain wary of investing while deep fears about eurozone and US debts remain. |
| Friday's economic news held nothing to reassure investors. | Friday's economic news held nothing to reassure investors. |
| Greek economic growth suffered a 6.9% contraction in the second quarter compared with a year earlier, worse than the 5.5% fall seen in the first three months of the year, according to its national statistics agency. | Greek economic growth suffered a 6.9% contraction in the second quarter compared with a year earlier, worse than the 5.5% fall seen in the first three months of the year, according to its national statistics agency. |
| French official figures showed no growth in the second quarter compared with 0.9% growth in the first. Analysts had been expecting a rise of 0.3%. | French official figures showed no growth in the second quarter compared with 0.9% growth in the first. Analysts had been expecting a rise of 0.3%. |
| Experts were not convinced the new short selling ban would do much to restore market order and confidence. | Experts were not convinced the new short selling ban would do much to restore market order and confidence. |
| "In the short-term it will help calm things down, but if you look at what happened at Lehman during the crisis, it didn't do much," said Ion-Marc Valahu at fund manager ClairInvest. | "In the short-term it will help calm things down, but if you look at what happened at Lehman during the crisis, it didn't do much," said Ion-Marc Valahu at fund manager ClairInvest. |
| Earlier in the week, South Korean authorities also banned short-selling of shares to try and stem losses. The country's Kospi index has seen some of the biggest falls globally in the past week. | Earlier in the week, South Korean authorities also banned short-selling of shares to try and stem losses. The country's Kospi index has seen some of the biggest falls globally in the past week. |
| Calming attempts | Calming attempts |
| The short-selling ban is the latest in a series of moves by policymakers in Europe and the US to allay fear in the markets. | The short-selling ban is the latest in a series of moves by policymakers in Europe and the US to allay fear in the markets. |
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| But some investors are sceptical about the effectiveness of the steps taken by governments and central banks to prevent a loss of confidence. | But some investors are sceptical about the effectiveness of the steps taken by governments and central banks to prevent a loss of confidence. |
| "These are the people who got us into these situations and now we're realizing they don't know what they are doing. The market's finally catching up," Jim Rogers of Rogers Holdings told the BBC's Asia Business Report. | "These are the people who got us into these situations and now we're realizing they don't know what they are doing. The market's finally catching up," Jim Rogers of Rogers Holdings told the BBC's Asia Business Report. |
| On Friday, Japan's main index closed down 0.2%, South Korea's lost 1.3% but Hong Kong was up 0.13% towards the end of its session. | On Friday, Japan's main index closed down 0.2%, South Korea's lost 1.3% but Hong Kong was up 0.13% towards the end of its session. |
| Wall Street's main Dow Jones index ended up 3.9% on Thursday, helped by data showing a fall in the number of unemployment claimants. | Wall Street's main Dow Jones index ended up 3.9% on Thursday, helped by data showing a fall in the number of unemployment claimants. |