This morning, the federal government is throwing a lifeline to mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The economy will be front and center in Washington once again this week, with that news and with testimony from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Capitol Hill.

Some key lawmakers have signaled they're on board with this plan to shore up confidence in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This morning, though, Asian markets are mostly lower as some wonder if the step is a symptom of deeper trouble.

It amounts to a sweeping government rescue package for two mortgage giants and came after a flurry of weekend talks.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said "Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac play a central role in our housing finance system and must continue to do so in their current form as shareholder-owner companies."

Plans announced by the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve include billions in investments and loans, including an expanded credit line, to the two companies that together own or back nearly half the U.S. mortgage market.

Both face big losses as the wave of foreclosures continues.

Secretary Paulson says "their support for the housing market is particularly important as we work through the current housing correction."

The government created Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to add to the cash banks can loan home buyers.

The companies, though, are private and have seen their stocks plummet in the housing crisis.

Failure of one or both could touch off a global economic storm.

The companies' debt is widely owned overseas.

On another issue, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced it's now examining rumor-spreading on Wall Street, whether some are spreading false information to manipulate prices.

Expect questions on that, the failure of Indymac bank last week and on the overall health of the nation's banks when Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke testifies on Capitol Hill starting tomorrow.

Treasury officials expect Congress will approve the support to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as part of the housing bill as soon as this week. The first sign of whether investors approve comes this morning as Freddie Mac tries to sell off some short-term debt.