$250 bln - U.S. to pump into banks, economies struggle

U.S. to pump $250 bln into banks, economies struggle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States pledged on Tuesday to pump $250 billion into its banks, following similar action in Europe, but data showed the threat of recession has not been banished even if a financial sector meltdown has.
In Europe, major economies showed signs of flagging output and falling business confidence, but smaller countries also suffered acutely. Iceland sought to save its economy at loan talks in Moscow, while its stock market plunged 76 percent.
Under the U.S. Treasury plan, the government will buy preferred shares in qualifying financial institutions, with stakes in each limited to $25 billion.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said 9 banks described as "healthy institutions" had agreed to accept government stakes for the good of the U.S. economy -- a state intervention unthinkable before a crisis widely compared to the great crash of the 1930s.
"Government owning a stake in any private U.S. company is objectionable to most Americans, me included.," he said. "Yet the alternative of leaving businesses and consumers without access to financing is to tally unacceptable."
President George W. Bush called it an essential step to ensure the viability of America's banking system,"
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke promised continued action to stabilize financial markets.
"We will not stand down until we have achieved our goals of repairing and reforming our financial system and thereby restoring prosperity to our economy," he said in a statement (source: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE49D4T420081014)