Wachovia loses $8.86 bln, slashes jobs

Wachovia Corp, the fourth-largest U.S. bank, on Tuesday posted an $8.86 bln second-quarter loss, slashed its dividend and announced the elimination of more than 10,700 jobs after losses tied to mortgages soared.

Banks and Vodafone weigh on European stocks

European shares fell on Tuesday, led by Vodafone, which sank after issuing a weak outlook, while banks were weighed down by disappointing earnings from American Express. By 0826 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300