Trading suspended in stricken Portugal bank BES

LISBON, July 31 (AFP): Lisbon stock market authorities on Thursday suspended trading in Banco Espirito Santo until 0900 GMT after the stricken Portuguese bank announced historic losses.
BES posted first-half losses of 3.57 billion euros ($4.78 billion) late on Wednesday.
This was the biggest loss ever reported by a bank in Portugal, due to exposure to the debts of its parent, Espirito Santo Group.
Stock market authorities said the suspension was intended to give investors time to "analyse the statements" from the bank, the biggest private bank in Portugal.