The Federal Reserve and European Central Bank will keep interest rates on hold until the end of 2010, the OECD said Thursday. Margie Patel from Evergreen Investments and Tim Harris from Harris Capital discuss the implications of this scenario for investors.

Asia is leading the global economy out of the downturn, but the recovery will be marred by high unemployment and huge government debt across developed countries, the OECD said Thursday. Tim Harris, CEO of Harris Capital, considers the removal of various governments' stimulus measures.

Korea is not really critical to US foreign policy, Enzio von Pfeil, CEO of EconomicClock.com, told CNBC after US President Barack Obama's visit Thursday. "I think that he visited Korea just because it happened to be in the neighborhood," he said.

The Nikkei 225 fell to a 4-month closing low Thursday and ended 1.3% down. Major banking groups dragged the index lower. Asuka Kondo from The Nikkei has the details.

The UK retail sector has been reasonably robust over the last 6 months, which could continue over the Christmas period, Philip Shaw from Investec told CNBC Thursday.

"This is quite a divergence in the performance of global markets," Jonathan Garner from Morgan Stanley said Thursday. Emerging markets "have actually recently set new highs," he said, adding he is expecting further gains in emerging Asia in 2010. John Haynes from Rensburg Sheppards joined the discussion.

There is the potential for a double-dip recession, but the recovery is more likely to be saucer shaped, Hugh Johnson, chairman & CIO of Johnson Illington Advisors, told CNBC Wednesday.

When you look at the market rally, where stocks are up 60% from March lows, "common sense alone suggests that it is time for a breather," Hugh Johnson, chairman & CIO of Johnson Illington Advisors, said Wednesday. "We're about 8-10% overvalued." He sees the market stalling "for a while," with a 5-8% correction taking place.

US President Obama reached the end of his China visit Wednesday and will head to South Korea next in the last leg of his four nation Asia tour. David Satterwhite from Fulbright Commission Japan told CNBC Obama's visit to China was "absolutely crucial" and "went off very well."

"If you look at the longer-term structure of emerging markets, there could be growth in emerging markets for years and years and years," David Kotok, chairman & CIO of Cumberland Advisors, said Wednesday. "The emerging market story has a long, long road; it could be a good one for a long time."

Tokyo stocks fell on Wednesday as more companies announced plans for equity financing. The Nikkei 225 Average closed down 0.6% to its lowest closing in 6 weeks. The Nikkei's Ken Moriyasu has the details.

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee was divided on its quantitative easing strategy in November, meeting minutes showed Wednesday. David Page from Investec has analysis.