US presidential hopefuls John McCain and Barack Obama are returning from the campaign trail for a key Senate vote on rescue plan for troubled Wall Street.
A Bush optimismistic about bailout plan ...
Obama calls for political solution for Iraq ...
Haitian lawmakers back woman as prime minister ...
Nigeria 'must ban' ex-minister ... version of the $700bn (Ј380bn) bank rescue plan was rejected in the House of Representatives on Monday and needs both House and Senate backing.
Global shares were mixed in Wednesday trading ahead of the vote.
The vote also comes a day before a TV debate between vice-presidential candidates Joe Biden and Sarah Palin.
Mr Biden, Mr Obama's running mate, is also expected to take part in the Senate vote, which is due to begin late on Wednesday evening.
Analysts suggest the revised package to bail-out the US financial system is likely to pass.
Hopes that enough changes had been made to get the bill through saw shares close up strongly in Asia on Wednesday.
However, sentiment was more cautious in Europe, and while UK stocks have risen, German and French shares have fallen.
Some members of Congress continue to press for more fundamental changes to the bill, says the BBC's Americas editor Justin Webb.
On Tuesday, President George W Bush warned of "painful and lasting" consequences for the US should Congress fail to agree a rescue plan.
'Painful recession'
In election campaigning on Tuesday, Mr McCain and Mr Obama urged politicians of both parties to work together to pass emergency legislation.
To get through the Senate, the banking rescue package will require the backing of 60 of the 100 senators.
It will then have to return to the House of Representatives on Thursday.
Speaking in Reno, Nevada, Mr Obama warned that without action by Congress "millions of jobs could be lost, a long and painful recession could follow".
He added: "There will be a time to punish those who set this fire, but now is the moment for us to come together and put the fire out."
Mr McCain, who campaigned in Des Moines, Iowa, said inaction by Congress had "put every American and the entire economy at the gravest risk" and that Washington urgently needed to show leadership.
"I am disappointed at the lack of resolve and bipartisan good will among members of both parties to fix this problem," he said.
Mr McCain was expected to return to Washington after giving a speech on the economy in Missouri on Wednesday. Mr Obama was to travel to the capital following a rally in Wisconsin.
Meanwhile, ex-President Bill Clinton is to hold his first rally for Mr Obama.
Mr Clinton, whose wife Hillary lost to Mr Obama in a fierce primary contest for the Democratic nomination, is due to appear in Florida, where he will encourage people to register as voters before a deadline on Monday.
A new ABC-Washington Post poll suggests Mr Obama continues to hold a slight lead over Mr McCain among likely voters, with more voters trusting him to handle the economic crisis.
The same poll gave Mr Bush a record 70% disapproval rating on his job performance. Only 26% said they approved of the job he was doing, the lowest rating of his time in office.
(BBC)
<< Back