Pizzas galore!

Mr Fillon, whose country is hosting an emergency summit with Italian, British and German leaders on Saturday, said only collective action could solve the financial crisis. He said he would not rule out any solution to stop any bank failing.

"The world is on the edge of the abyss because of an irresponsible system," he said, alluding to widespread anger over past lax regulation of financial markets and excessive lending.

Steny Hoyer, the Democrat House leader, said: “I am hopeful that there will be bipartisan majority support for this bill that is critical to stabilizing our nation's economy for all working Americans."

Global stocks sank heavily with losses in the US and in Asia as some lawmakers continued to make known their opposition to using vast amounts of taxpayer money to bail out Wall Street firms.

Just over a month from election day, Barack Obama and John McCain also backed the effort, piling on the pressure after rejection of the bill sent global markets into a spin, causing the largest one-day loss ever on the Dow Jones.

President Bush also urged the House to follow the Senate's lead and approve the massive rescue package, warning yesterday that "people's jobs are in jeopardy."

"This issue has gone way beyond New York and Wall Street. This is an issue that is affecting hard-working people," Mr Bush said in his 14th appeal in the past 15 days to lawmakers.

Zach Wamp, a Tennessee Republican, acknowledged Americans were still angry that the taxpayer was picking up the tab for Wall Street's mistakes. "They are mad as heck. The average American now stands to lose," he told Fox News on Thursday.

"But you have got to do what you think is right. I thought the right thing Monday was to vote no. And I think the right thing to do tomorrow is to vote yes."

John Shadegg of Arizona, a leader among conservative Republicans who voted against the bill Monday and called on Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson to resign, told a radio station in his home state that in its amended form he was likely to support it.

Another Republican who initially opposed the bailout, Jim Ramstad of Minnesota, indicated that he too had changed his mind.

To make the bill more attractive, the Senate raised the ceiling on federal insurance for bank deposits from 100,000 dollars to 250,000 dollars, and added up to 150 billion dollars in tax break extensions for middle class families and business.

They also retained the limits of "golden parachute" severance payments to disgraced Wall Street executives.

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