The fight over control of Wachovia intensified Saturday, as a judge temporarily agreed to block the sale of the bank by Wells Fargo, Citigroup announced in a news release. State Supreme Court Justice Charles Ramos issued the order blocking the sale of Wachovia Corp., which Wells Fargo & Co. had agreed to purchase in a $14.8 billion deal.

The Federal Reserve, working with central banks in Europe, Canada and Asia, pumped as much as $180 billion into money markets on Thursday to combat a seizing up of lending between banks that is intensifying global financial crisis.