Sharp has embarked upon a major cost-cutting drive that could see it cutting 5, 000 jobs - around 15% of its workforce.

BBC: Sharp downgraded to 'junk' by Standard & Poor's

The US stock market had a sharp two-day slide last week, and most of the major averages made their lows Thursday afternoon before turning higher into the close.

FORBES: The Week Ahead: Will Overseas Markets Lead the Way?