NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. government agreed on Monday to take $25 billion stakes in several big banks in a bid to shore up the banking system and arrest the financial crisis, sources familiar with the situation said.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. automakers could turn to Congress after the November election to try to expedite $25 billion in government-backed loans, which Detroit manufacturers consider crucial to reversing their steep downward spiral.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Technology investors watching as Intel Corp and other semiconductor makers report earnings this week have one question: How bad can it get?

TOKYO (Reuters) - The Nikkei stock average surged more than 13 percent on Tuesday, more than making up for its worst one-day loss since the 1987 stock market crash, after international government pledges to pour cash into struggling banks and restore confidence in the global financial system. At 9:32 p.m. EDT the benchmark Nikkei had gained 1,094.32 points to 9,370.75, a rise of 13.2 percent. The broader Topix was up 12.6 percent at 946.83.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group shares traded at their daily limit-high of 810 yen on Tuesday after Japan's top bank delivered on a planned $9 billion investment in U.S. firm Morgan Stanley .