World leaders pledged to shore up global growth, avoid protectionism and move quickly on regulatory reform at the conclusion in Washington at the weekend of the Group of 20 summit to address the economic crisis.

Presenting a united front, leaders from both developed and developing nations promised to take “whatever further actions are necessary to stabilise the financial system” and vowed to “use fiscal measures to stimulate domestic demand to rapid effect, as appropriate”. People at the talks said the statement would give fresh momentum to national stimulus packages.