SINGAPORE'S largest bank is making big changes to the way it sells investments to customers, as it continues to battle criticism over losses suffered by those who put money into its High Notes 5 product.

DBS Bank plans to ask more detailed questions about a customer's background and how he got the money he is investing. And it will turn away those who are not suited for a product, even if they insist on buying.

NEW YORK - US STOCKS skidded in opening trade Tuesday, with sentiment unsettled by fears about a collapse of General Motors and more poor corporate news amid the credit crisis.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 131.58 points (1.48 per cent) to 8,870.54 at the market open and the tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 19.12 points (1.18 per cent) to 1,597.62.

MOSCOW - PRESIDENT Dmitry Medvedev urged state-funded banks to 'act responsibly' on Tuesday, the latest comments by top Russian officials warning that banks might be abusing the government's billion-dollar bailout.

Facing its worst economic crisis in a decade, Russia allocated billions of dollars to shore up the banking sector, channeling long-term loans through state-owned bank giants, Sberbank and VTB.