TAKE-A-LOOK: World stocks falter on weak data, gold gains

U.S. and European stocks faltered on Thursday as new U.S. housing and labor data punctured hopes the U.S. economy is improving, driving gold to a three-week high over $900 an ounce on its safe-haven appeal.

Oil rose above $49 a barrel but pared some gains as a weak dollar outweighed concerns about falling global demand and rising inventories in the United States, the world's top energy consumer.

Pockets of recovery could be seen in European banks after Credit Suisse (CSGN.VX: Quote, Profile, Research) posted first-quarter results that doubled expectations and Britain's Barclays Plc (BARC.L: Quote, Profile, Research) said it intends to resume dividend payments. [ID:nLM494747]

To read more, double-click on the square brackets below: ---------------------------------------------------------------- MARKET REPORTS: > GLOBAL MARKETS-World stocks falter on weak data, gold up [ID:nN23479794] > MONEY MARKETS-Spreads diverge after economy, bank news [ID:nLN603332] > EMERGING MARKETS-South African rand stable, spreads wider [ID:nLN629333] MAIN ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL NEWS DRIVING GLOBAL MARKETS > IMF's Strauss-Kahn says crisis still far from over [ID:nN23330997] > US FDIC's Bair says banks, housing market past crisis stage [ID:nN23310320] > US jobless claims rise, home sales fall [ID:nN23390443] > US regional banks post better-than-expeted earnings [ID:nN23309618] > Canada retail sales rise slightly in Feb [ID:nN23310364] > Credit Suisse, Barclays profit up, Japan banks in doldrums [ID:nLM494747] > Barclays says Q1 profit well head of a year earlier [ID:nL713202] > US credit card bill advances on eve of meeting with Obama [ID:nN22338747] > Chrysler alliance talks near deadline [ID:nN22256068] > UK factory orders continue to decline in April [ID:nLN729641] > Eurozone recession easing, business surveys suggest [ID:nLN405659] > EU assembly backs new rules on credit rating agencies [ID:nLN968409] > Russia central bank cuts rates to 12.5 pct [ID:nLN704447] ANALYSIS RELATED TO GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS > GM, Chrysler pensions raise bankruptcy stakes [ID:nN23264487] > US faces tough job to sell record debt issuance [ID:nLM3467] > Bear market still grips stock, credit markets [ID:nN20421703] > Bonds show US bank winner and losers parting ways [ID:nN21468540] > Emerging market stocks find decoupling hard to do [ID:nN21386965] > Too soon to say world economy in the clear [ID:nN17352708] > Global economic recovery: slow training coming [ID:nLE102058] > Can Citigroup's results be sustained ? [ID:nN17362044] > With downturn easing Federal Reserve not eyeing new programs [ID:nN14440821] > Money market muddles along as worst has passed [ID:nN17322284] > Rich G7 can't go it alone to calm economic storm [ID:nN17282594] > Smatterings of a US rebound emerge slowly [ID:nN17489948] > Build America Bonds poised to realize promise [ID:nN17452891] FACTBOXES > World government actions to limit bank bad loan damage [ID:nLL193589] > Major US financial regulation reform initiatives [ID:nN20382395] > Is the global financial crisis over ? [ID:nLK49423] > Where has all the US bailout money gone ? [ID:nN0289041] > US faces potential $10.9 trln economic rescue bill [ID:nN06393634] > What is the $1 trillion in new G20 financing ? [ID:nL2128488] > G20 summit final communique [ID:nL2577733] > Key Obama financial regulation proposals [ID:nN26484944] > US Treasury details toxic asset plan [ID:nLN437165] > Q&A - How will the US asset clean up plan work ? [ID:nN23293892] > US Treasury fact sheet on investment program [ID:nN23190502] > IMF emergency loan programmes in past six months [ID:nLQ355696] > Federal Reserve statement after March 17-18 meeting [ID:nN18366605] > Bank of Japan on subordinated loans to banks [ID:nT326441] > Central banks turn to new measures to help economies [ID:nLH53270]