US banks are taking advantage of improving earnings and growing investor demand to raise billions of dollars in debt at low interest rates, a move that could boost the sector’s profits
Fed reports paper profit on Bear and AIG bail-outs
The US public’s hope of getting repaid for the bail-outs of Bear Stearns and AIG in the financial crisis increased on Thursday after the Federal Reserve reported a paper profit for the first time on all the holdings of securities bought from the companies
Citi to pay $75m to settle SEC charges
The US bank did not admit to charges that it failed to disclose more than $40bn in subprime mortgage exposure but the settlement includes information that may be useful in cases against it
US divided on how to tackle Huawei
US government agencies charged with reviewing sensitive acquisitions are engaged in a debate over how to handle Huawei, the Chinese software and telecoms equipment-maker viewed with deep scepticism by government security experts
Google says China ‘blockage’ miscalculation
Google said that its search and advertising services were being blocked in China for first time since its groundbreaking compromise with the Chinese government earlier this month
Wyly brothers charged over ‘undisclosed $550m’
US regulators charged Samuel and Charles Wyly, two billionaire brothers whose interests range from software to restaurants, with reaping more than $550m in undisclosed gains by trading shares in companies on whose boards they sat
Karzai attacks ‘shocking’ leak of files
Afghanistan’s president says named individuals could be targeted by insurgents for working with US forces
FSA unveils tough pay and bonus code
The FSA is broadening the scope of its pay code to more than 2.500 financial services companies to comply with EU legislation that introduced some of the world’s toughest restrictions on bankers’ bonuses
Results underline strength of Europe’s corporate recovery
Industrial companies have led the recovery after a crushing fall in earnings last year
Wylie threatens broad digital expansion
Andrew Wylie, the literary agent whose exclusive deal with Amazon.com last week stunned the publishing world, has threatened a broad expansion of his digital publishing business to include up to 2,000 titles if traditional publishers refuse to improve digital royalties.