Friday the 13th proved lucky for global stocks as the spent the day in the green. Financials lead the gains on news of a US subsidy plan for mortgage payments. The improved mood among investors comes ahead of this weekend's G7 meeting of financial leaders.
Experts interviewed by CNBC urge leaders to allow banks to fail and put taxpayer money to better use.
Allow Banks to Fail
Banks should be allowed to go into bankruptcy, says John Talbott, former investment banker at Goldman Sachs and author of "Contagion". He tells CNBC that taxpayer money should not be used to help struggling banks.
US Bank Plan "Fundamentally Flawed"
The U.S. bank rescue package is fundamentally flawed, opines Stephen Gollop, CEO at Tyche, as it falls short of making the banks come clean on asset values.
Stock Picking is the Name of the Game
Now is a good time to look at stocks but it is a stock-by-stock story, says Gerard Doherty, MD of Fidelity International.
Bonds Still the Play of the Day
After last year's steep selloff, some corporate bonds are now attractively priced. Don Amstad, director of Asian fixed income at Abderdeen Asset Management tells CNBC where the selected opportunities lie in this space.
Crisis Ends When Home Prices Stop Falling
The crisis will end when housing prices find a bottom and stabilize, says Paul Larson, equities strategist at Morningstar.
Greenback Gains on US Bailout Doubts
The uncertainty over whether the U.S. bailout plan will work is keeping the dollar strong, says Nick Bennenbroek, head of currency strategy at Wells Fargo.
Dollar Will Outlast Yen's Strength
The dollar will outlast the yen's strength overall, according to Patrick Bennett, FX & rates strategist, Asia at Societe Generale. He explains his bearish view on the yen.
Value Seen in Commodity Currencies
Commodity currencies present some pretty good value, notes Dwyfor Evans, VP & senior macro strategist at State Street Global Markets. But investors need to differentiate between them.
Where to for Oil Prices?
The buildup in the U.S. inventory may start to decrease towards the end of the first-quarter, predicts Jonathan Kornafel, director of Asia at Hudson Capital Energy. He tells CNBC's Oriel Morrison what this means for oil prices going forward.
Bullish Run on Gold Continues
Investor sentiment towards gold will continue for the foreseeable future, says Jonathan Barratt, managing director of Commodity Broking Services.
Good Time to Own Rio Tinto, BHP Shares
Graham Bibby, managing director at Richmond Asset Management says Rio Tinto and BHP are great Australian assets to have now. He speaks about investing in commodity plays.
Rebound in Rio Seen
Expect a rebound in the Rio share price, says Justin O'Brien, vice president from Citi Smith Barney.
Investing in the EM Space
Emerging markets are going to experience a deep V-shaped recession during this downturn, believes Peter Elston, chief strategist at Aberdeen Asset Management Asia. He sheds light on how he is investing in the EM space in this installment of "Protect Your Wealth".