Thursday Papers: Confidence of consumers at 34-year low -- other news

 * Dow advances 186 points and Nasdaq improves seven points

 * The Federal Reserve ramps up its liquidity support operations again in an effort to reduce money market strains and pre-empt the possibility of funding crises at the year-end or at other stress points

 * US crude inventory data sparks rebound in oil prices; Iraq oil output rises as security improves; Asda declares war on petrol prices

 * GfK NOP barometer of consumer confidence scores minus 39 in July, the lowest level since the survey began in 1974

 * One in seven households could find their mortgage is more than the price of their home next year, according to Standard & Poor's

 * Credit markets are unlikely to recover in the second half of this year, according to Moody's

 * IMF warns of slow recovery in American economy

 * Pay deals average 3.5% but public sector left behind

 * General Motors plans to cut about 5,000 jobs in the US and Canada

 * Morgan Stanley to use $1 billion job savings for top-level hiring spree

 * Banks have been given a one-year reprieve from US accounting standard-setters from taking up £2,520 billion of debt assets on to their balance sheets

 * CBI warns that excessive regulation is increasing the risk of final salary pension schemes being closed or bought out