The dollar was little changed against the yen Friday after the Bank of Japan cut interest rates, but not by quite as much as markets were hoping.

Barclays said it is raising $12 billion in capital from private investors in a move that will enable the British bank to avoid taking government bailout funds.

European stocks posted a fourth straight day of gains Friday and ended October on a high note, amid signs that investors' appetite for risk is slowly returning.

Most Asian stock markets were finishing the week with solid gains, but Japan and Hong Kong both closed lower. Tokyo fell 5% after a lower-than-expected rate cut by the Bank of Japan.

Japan's government unveiled a new economic stimulus package including $51.45 billion in fresh spending, redoubling its efforts to keep the global financial crisis from aggravating the country's economic slump.

Deutsche Bank reported a 73% fall in net profit, beating analysts' expectations of a loss, as earnings were boosted by a reclassification of assets under new EU accounting rules.

The dollar and euro strengthened against the yen Thursday after market sentiment was bolstered by the Federal Reserve's rate cut.

The dollar and euro strengthened against the yen Thursday after market sentiment was bolstered by the Federal Reserve's rate cut.

Deutsche Bank reported a 73% fall in net profit, beating analysts' expectations of a loss, as earnings were boosted by a reclassification of assets under new EU accounting rules.

BoCom's net profit growth slowed in the latest quarter as it booked a foreign-currency bond exposure charge.

China Citic Bank said its third-quarter net profit rose 98% amid a wider interest margin and a decrease in China's tax rate.

Asian investors cheered global efforts to deal with the credit crisis and slowing world economy, sending markets sharply higher. Seoul rose 12%, Hong Kong jumped 12.8% and Tokyo rose 10%.