4 rising stars

Bank of America in Chinese sale
Bank of America is to sell a stake in China Construction Bank, in an move that could raise $3bn, the Chinese bank says.

Gas stopped for swathe of states
Seven European and Balkan countries report a complete halt in gas imports from Russia as its row with Ukraine worsens.

Obama: $1 trillion deficits 'for years'
President-elect Barack Obama is inheriting the worst economy in decades and says he'll need to "invest an extraordinary amount of money" to get it back on track.

Alcoa cuts 13,500 workers' jobs
The US aluminium maker Alcoa has said it is cutting 13,500 jobs, or 13% of its workforce, due to the global economic slowdown.

US recession forecast to drag on
The US recession is likely to drag on well into 2009, according to forecasts from the US Federal Reserve.