Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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October 17, 2008

Bush Tries to Reassure Investors and Ease Economic Worries
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1EC730E:A6F02AD83191E1603C098EADDCB3AC143CF5CDEF8FC051DA&
 
US president says government has taken 'systematic and aggressive'
action to solve current financial crisis 
President Bush delivers remarks on the economy at the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce in Washington, 17 Oct 2008U.S. President George Bush says the
next president's top priority must
be to "change the way we regulate the financial system." Mr.
Bush said Friday Washington has taken "systematic and aggressive"
action to resolve the financial crisis. He warned it will take time
for these measures to work, but assured Americans that they will be
successful. Some economists say there is evidence that stalled
credit markets - a big part of the financial crisis - are starting to
improve. Mr. Bush spoke right after a discouraging government economic
report. The U.S. Commerce Department said the number of new homes
under construction fell to a 17-year low in September. U.S.
stock markets fell around two percent in the opening minutes of trading
Friday. European markets made gains in mid-day action. Key Asian
markets closed before Mr. Bush spoke. They posted mixed results. Mr.
Bush is set to meet Saturday outside Washington (Camp David) with
French President Nicolas Sarkozy and European Commission President Jose
Manuel Barroso, who say they will press for an overhaul of the global
financial system. An emergency economic summit with leaders of
the Group of Eight - including the United States, Japan, Germany,
France, Britain, Italy, Canada, and Russia - and other nations is under
consideration, but no date has been announced.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.