Saudi c.bank orders rescheduling of austerity hit loans

Saudi Arabia's central bank said on Sunday it had given commercial banks instructions to reschedule consumer loans of customers hit by recently announced austerity measures.The government said last week that it would cut ministers' salaries by 20 percent and scale back financial allowances for public sector workers.The steps announced on Sept. 26 are some of the most drastic yet by the energy-rich kingdom to save money at a time of low oil prices.