Morning Briefing

Stock markets were mixed in advance of the House vote on the $700 billion bailout bill, expected to happen around midday today. Yesterday, the U.S. markets plunged on concerns about the economy, as new data showed that factory orders were weaker than expected and jobless numbers had risen to a seven-year high, surprising analysts.

Also yesterday, Marriott, one of the region's largest employers, posted weak results and said it may have to cut thousands of jobs if economic conditions do not improve. The Post's Ylan Q. Mui and V. Dion Haynes write in today's paper about how local residents are reining in their consumer spending habits. Today, the markets await monthly jobless data from September.

In Europe, the DJ Stoxx index is up slightly, less than one percent. In Asia, the markets took a tumble, with most recording losses of nearly 2 percent. Oil is up a tad, trading at $94 a barrel.

Check back here throughout the day for the latest news on the House vote and all other bailout-related developments.

--Sara Goo