(Reuters) - European shares jumped for a second straight session on Friday, as a wave of fiscal and monetary stimulus tempted investors back into equity markets after days of selling on signs the world was headed into a deep, coronavirus-driven recession. The European Commission said on Friday it was looking at loosening debt rules for member states and issuing common euro zone bonds in an attempt to shore up businesses and households crushed by the meltdown in economic activity. The pan-European STOXX 600 index was up 4.3%, on course to erase the entire week's declines, but still looking at its worst month in three decades as the deepening spread of the outbreak in Europe forces countries to shut down. Financials rose 3.9% from a near 30-year low, with Allianz SE, Prudential Plc, ING Groep and Zurich Insurance Group surging between 8.5% and 12.0%.

Source: International New York Times March 20, 2020 09:17 UTC