Dexia has become the latest European bank to be bailed out as the deepening credit crisis shakes the banks sector.

After all-night talks the Belgian, French and Luxembourg governments said they would put in 6.4bn euros ($9bn; £5bn) to keep it afloat.

Shares in the Belgian-French bank fell 30% on Monday before being suspended on Tuesday as the bail-out was announced.

It is the second bank rescue in days by Belgium and its neighbours. On Sunday Fortis bank was partly nationalised.

This latest move by European governments to shore up another bank under pressure came as global stock markets plunged after the US House of Representatives rejected the White House's planned $700bn bail-out package.