Heads up: Bear Stearns will lay off 310 workers (The Kansas City Star)
Bear Stearns Cos. said Wednesday it was laying off 310 workers and fusing its two mortgage businesses, after turmoil in the home-loan industry contributed to a dramatic slide in the investment bank's profit this summer.

Reuters Canada Business Summary (The Globe and Mail)
TORONTO (Reuters) - Purchasing activity in the Canadian economy expanded in September, but at a slower pace than the previous month, according to the Ivey Purchasing Managers Index released on Thursday.

Euro Trades Near Week-Low Versus Dollar Before ECB Decision (Bloomberg.com)
Oct. 4 (Bloomberg) -- The euro traded near the lowest in a week against the dollar on speculation the European Central Bank will hold its target lending rate at 4 percent at today's meeting.

European Stocks Rise, Led By Deutsche Bank; Lagardere Falls (Bloomberg.com)
Oct. 3 (Bloomberg) -- European stocks advanced, led by banks after Deutsche Bank AG reported an increase in third-quarter profit and Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. said shares of U.K. lenders have fallen too much.

Investors keep their sang froid (FT.com via Yahoo! News)
The election this year of a new kind of president with a strong mandate for reform has kindled fresh interest in France as an investment destination.