美国政府报告令人失望的消费品数据后，全球股市星期三大幅下跌。消费品开支占美国经济的大部分。美国股指在午间交易时下跌4%或更多。欧洲股指在午后交易时下跌6%或更多。主要亚洲股市在这份报告发表之前闭市，收盘有升有降。美国政府的报告显示，金融危机正在伤及零售业，而美国经济的三分之二靠零售业驱动。
美国商务部星期三说，9月份的零售额出现3年来的最大跌幅。一天前，布什总统阐述了支持金融业方案的主要内容。美国联邦储备委员会主席伯南克星期三说，解决目前巨大而复杂的经济问题需要一些时间。财政部长保尔森早些时候说，他相信政府救助金融系统计划最终将能生效。他们所说的是美国政府将以2500亿美元收购一些美国银行的股权以及增加对贷款与存款担保的方案。
美国这一方案与欧洲主要国家采取的措施相似，这些措施是为了恢复停滞的信贷市场的活力。信贷市场停滞将损害商业，拖垮经济。保尔森说，政府干预将增加私营银行的资金，并鼓励银行恢复信贷业务。布什总统说，这些措施是暂时性的，其目的是维护自由市场，而不是实行接管。
Global stock markets fell sharply Wednesday — after the U. S. government reported disappointing figures on consumer spending, which makes up a large part of the American economy. U.S. stock indexes were down four percent or more in mid-day trading. European stock indexes were off six percent or more in afternoon trading. Major Asian markets closed before the report, and finished the day mixed. The government report shows the financial crisis is hurting the consumer spending that drive two thirds of the U.S. economy.
The Commerce Department said Wednesday September retail sales showed their biggest drop in three years. The decline comes one day after President Bush outlined key parts of a plan to bolster the financial sector. Wednesday the head of the U.S. Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, said it will take some time to solve the “large and complex” problems facing the economy. Earlier, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson told television interviewers (on ABC and NBC) that he is confident that the government rescue plan for the financial system will work eventually. They spoke about a 250 billion dollar plan for the government to buy part ownership of some U.S. banks and guarantee more loans and deposits.
The U.S. plan is similar to efforts underway by major European nations to restart the stalled credit market that is hampering business and dragging down the economy. Paulson said the government intervention will increase the money available to private banks and encourage them to resume lending. President Bush said these measures are temporary and intended to preserve the free market, not replace it.