bonds

The debt crisis was fed by governments that borrowed too much, regulators that let banks treat the bonds as without risk and investors who viewed the bonds of all countries as solid.

Stocks pushed higher in afternoon trading Wednesday following reports that China will come to the aid of Europe by buying bonds.

The interest rates on Spanish and Italian bonds plummeted, but a European stocks rally quickly fizzled and Wall Street was expected to open lower on concerns about the U.S. economy.

Global stock markets sank again Monday as worries about the downgrade of U.S. debt outweighed relief at a European Central Bank pledge to buy up Italian and Spanish bonds to help the two countries avoid devastating defaults.

The bank says it will “actively implement” its bond-buying program, a move that is expected to help stem the crisis in Spain and Italy.

The vulnerability of giant banks in Italy and Spain has investors worried that Europe’s bid to control its debt has come up short.

The man who wrote the book on index funds (literally), chimes in on asset bubbles, gold and bonds.

Major indexes fell more than 1 percent after reports on disappointing job creation and slower manufacturing.

Moscow is hoping to attract foreign investors to buy billions in bonds and stakes of state-owned companies.

Demand was strong for nearly $4 billion of five-year Spanish bonds, easing immediate concerns about the ability of the euro zone’s weakest members to raise funds.