Futures higher, building on recent gains
NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. stock index futures rose on Monday, indicating the market’s recent strength would continue during a week that’s expected to see light action ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday.
French, British banks press EU to revise bank reform plans
PARIS (Reuters) – French and British banks are urging the European Commission to reconsider plans to isolate high-risk trading activities at big banks, warning the move could discourage lending to struggling economies.
Aviva shares fall, Friends Life jumps 7 percent on merger news
LONDON (Reuters) – Aviva shares fell almost 4 percent and Friends Life jumped 7 percent on Monday following news of their possible 5.6 billion pound ($8.8 billion) merger, seen as providing a good fit in the life and pensions insurance sector.
Global stocks grind higher after central bank stimulus signals
LONDON (Reuters) – World stock markets ground their way higher on Monday after a frenetic round of activity at central banks in Asia and Europe showed they are willing to do more to support economic growth and higher inflation.
GSK shareholders to vote on Novartis deal on Dec. 18
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s GlaxoSmithKline has asked its shareholders to vote at a meeting on Dec. 18 on its proposed major deal with Switzerland’s Novartis , which will see the two pharmaceutical group trade more than $20 billion of assets.
Dow Chemical CEO says not quitting Kuwait, but shifting strategy
DUBAI (Reuters) – U.S. petrochemicals giant Dow Chemical Co is not pulling out of Kuwait but is shifting strategy, its chief executive said on Monday, after the company announced plans to reduce its equity positions in all of its Kuwaiti ventures.
Countdown to missed opportunity for EU economy
PARIS (Reuters) – The countdown has begun to what threatens to be a missed opportunity to revive Europe’s stalled economy.
Police probe political funding of mining magnate Clive Palmer: The Australian
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian police are investigating allegations about the misuse of A$12 million ($10.5 million) in Chinese funds during the 2013 political campaign of mining magnate Clive Palmer, The Australian newspaper reported on Monday.
Fund boards, management go on high alert around bond liquidity
NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. fund firms are taking extra measures to make sure they don’t get stuck holding hard-to-sell bonds in the event that fixed income markets see a massive race to the exits when interest rates start to rise.
Property, manufacturing woes help trim China’s shadow banking
SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) – A bid by China to rein in its “shadow banking” activity is producing results, thanks to slowing economic growth and tighter regulation.
