BARCLAYS has been brought in by the owners of Liverpool in a move that could lead to the sale of the club.

Barclays has been brought in by the owners of Liverpool in a move that could lead to the sale of the business, it emerged today.

LIVERPOOL’S American owners have concluded a deal to re-finance the bank loan they took out to buy the club in 2007.

Liverpool’s American owners have concluded a deal re-finance the bank loan they took out to buy the club in 2007.

LIVERPOOL manager Rafael Benitez was delighted his captain Steven Gerrard could now “focus on football” after being cleared of affray yesterday.

Liverpool have dismissed claims today that a fee has been agreed with Real Madrid for the sale of Xabi Alonso.

Liverpool’s bankers Royal Bank of Scotland have dismissed fears about the future of the club by stressing they are “financially healthy and able to service comfortably its debt”.

British housebuilders stormed ahead today after Taylor Wimpey cheered sentiment with an upbeat assessment of the UK property market.

Rafael Benitez is fighting a defiant rearguard action to keep his top stars at Anfield as it becomes clear the club’s American owners will win the battle to re-finance the loans they took out to buy the club in 2007.

LIVERPOOL’S owners are likely to succeed in refinancing their huge debts before the July deadline, according to football’s top takeover expert.

Financial stocks led Wall Street sharply higher today on investor hopes the Obama administration will create banks to absorb the bad assets weighing down the financial system.

DUBAI interests may again emerge as the main player in the battle to buy Liverpool.

Dubai interests may again emerge as the main player in the battle to buy Liverpool.

Liverpool are reportedly in discussions with a wealthy Middle Eastern family over a possible £500m (€532m) takeover.

Wall Street pulled back again today in muted trading ahead of the holiday, as another round of reports showed further deterioration in the housing market and broader economy.

Wall Street tumbled again today as investors worried that the global economy was poised to weaken even as parts of the credit market slowly showed signs of recovery.

A turbulent session for world markets left the FTSE 100 Index at its lowest level for more than three years tonight.

America’s last two remaining major investment banks, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, have switched status to become bank holding companies in a move marking the end of an era on Wall Street.

Stocks rallied today as investors placed bets that a recovery in the financial and housing sectors is more likely to occur following the US government’s move to bail out mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The Dow Jones industrials gained nearly 300 points.

Liverpool fans’ group the Spirit of Shankly want the Royal Bank of Scotland to stop financing the club’s American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

Wall Street shook off early doldrums and closed sharply higher today after another drop in oil prices encouraged investors to set aside financial sector worries and go bargain hunting across the market.

Wall Street closed out an impressive week with a mixed performance today after disappointing high-tech earnings punctured some of investors’ enthusiasm over better-than-expected bank earnings reports.

Stocks rose for the third straight session today as oil prices fell sharply and the government reported that the economy grew last quarter at a faster pace than previously estimated.

Stocks finished a quiet session moderately lower today as investors grappled with concerns about the health of corporate profits after Wachovia posted disappointing quarterly results.

Wall Street finished only slightly higher in an erratic session today as investors remained unconvinced by a Federal Reserve plan to work with other central banks to alleviate the global credit crisis.

The credit crunch claimed its biggest corporate victim yet today after the embattled chief executive of investment banking giant Merrill Lynch stepped down.

Blue chip stocks took a hammering today as Friday’s sharp falls on Wall Street spread to the London market in an echo of the Black Monday crash almost 20 years ago to the day.

A cocktail of bad news from major US firms and renewed credit fears was behind the Friday sell-off on Wall Street which sent tremors through global markets today.

Stocks pulled back sharply and bonds jumped today as lacklustre profit reports and unease about the credit markets touched off fresh concerns about the ability of the economy to continue to push ahead.

A private equity firm has raised £15bn (€21.6bn) for a potential rescue of crisis-hit mortgage lender Northern Rock, it was reported today.

Wall Street rebounded today, rising moderately as crude oil surged more than two dollars a barrel and triggered a rally among energy producers.

Wall Street stumbled lower today as growing concerns over technology companies led jittery investors to pull money out of the market ahead of this week’s earnings reports.

Stocks in the United States finished a quiet session little changed today as investors’ anticipation of the Federal Reserve’s decision on interest rates muted their reaction to lower oil prices and a trio of acquisitions.

The London market struggled for direction today as mining stocks and oil companies suffered a turbulent session.

Mining stocks experienced another rollercoaster ride during an uncertain session for London’s top flight index today.

Surging gold and energy prices dragged stocks lower today as inflation fears curbed Wall Street’s enthusiasm over solid first-quarter earnings from financial services firm Citigroup Inc.

Wall Street surged higher today, carrying the Russell 2000 to a record close as Wall Street welcomed encouraging economic data and a continuation of double-digit corporate earnings growth.

Stocks rebounded moderately in New York today as a stronger than expected retail sales report showed that higher oil prices are not scaring consumers off spending.

Investor apathy pushed stocks lower today as Wall Street nervously awaited a key decision on interest rates, the transfer of power in Iraq and next month’s second-quarter earnings.