China to allow private investment in 80 projects
BEIJING (Reuters) – China will allow private investment in 80 projects spanning the energy, information and infrastructure sectors as part of reforms to increase privatization, Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday.
ECB’s Hansson: Must keep an eye on euro exchange rate
TALLINN (Reuters) – The European Central Bank must keep an eye on the euro exchange rate to assess whether it poses a risk to the medium-term inflation outlook, ECB Governing Council member Ardo Hansson said on Wednesday.
BlackRock cut stake in Monte Paschi to 3.23 percent
MILAN (Reuters) – U.S. investment fund BlackRock has lowered its stake in Italian lender Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena to 3.23 pct from 5.75 percent, according to a filing published by market regulator Consob on Wednesday.
U.S. mortgage applications fell last week: MBA
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Applications for U.S. home mortgages fell last week as both purchase and refinancing applications slipped, an industry group said on Wednesday.
Primark targets U.S. with first store openings
LONDON (Reuters) – Primark, the fast-growing clothing chain owned by Associated British Foods , is to enter the United States, it said on Wednesday, becoming the latest British retailer to attempt to crack the American market after success in Europe.
Goldman loses four Asia prime brokerage execs to rivals- sources
HONG KONG (Reuters) – At least four mid-level executives are leaving Goldman Sachs Group’s Asia prime brokerage unit to join rival banks, people familiar with the matter said, just as the regional hedge fund industry is starting to pick up.
Chinese factories stalling as euro zone business picks up
LONDON/BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese factory activity shrank for the fourth straight month in April but private businesses across the euro zone enjoyed their best month in nearly three years, surveys showed on Wednesday.
BOJ says 90 percent of banks taking on more risk post-QE
TOKYO (Reuters) – Over 90 percent of Japanese banks have increased loans and investment in riskier assets in the past year, the Bank of Japan said on Wednesday, suggesting that the wall of money it is pumping out is spilling over into the broader econo…
Euro zone private sector on strong footing but still slashing prices: PMIs
LONDON (Reuters) – The euro zone’s private sector has started the second quarter on its strongest footing in nearly three years, but burgeoning new orders were again mainly buoyed by firms cutting prices, surveys showed on Wednesday.
Germany’s private sector expands faster in April: PMI
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s private sector expanded faster in April, recovering from a slight slowdown in growth in March, as both manufacturing and services industry activity rose more than expected, surveys showed on Wednesday.
