S&P to review outlooks on EU banks’ ratings by end-April
PARIS (Reuters) – European banks may see the outlook on their credit ratings cut as Standard & Poor’s looks at possibly reducing the premium it assigns to banks to reflect changes in the level of state support that banks can expect to get in future crises.
Apple, Pfizer, others form ‘go slow’ U.S. patent lobby group
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Major U.S. companies including Ford, Apple and Pfizer have formed a lobbying group aimed at pushing back at some changes to the patent system members of Congress have proposed, saying these measures would hinder protection of val…
Services sector growth accelerates in March: Markit
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Growth in the U.S. services sector accelerated in March, an industry report showed on Thursday, though the pace of employment slackened for a third straight month to its slowest in a year.
Credit Suisse increases provision for U.S. tax deal
ZURICH (Reuters) – Credit Suisse has increased the funds it has set aside to settle a U.S. tax dispute and avoid prosecution for helping wealthy Americans hide cash from the taxman, raising the prospect it may be close to a settlement in the lengthy di…
Trade deficit widens as exports fall
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. trade deficit unexpectedly widened in February as exports fell to their lowest level in five months, further signs economic growth slowed in the first quarter.
EU approves rules to shake up company book-keeping
LONDON (Reuters) – The European Union has approved some of the world’s toughest rules for accountants in a bid to avoid a repeat of banks being given a clean bill of health just before taxpayers had to rescue them after the financial crisis of 2007-200…
JP Morgan to process payment for Russian embassy, easing tension
MOSCOW (Reuters) – JP Morgan Chase & Co is processing a payment from Russia’s embassy in Kazakhstan to insurance agency Sogaz, easing tension after Moscow accused the U.S. bank of illegally blocking the transaction under the pretext of sanctions.
Global stocks rally pauses for breath ahead of ECB
LONDON (Reuters) – The rise in European stocks this week petered on Thursday after figures showed that economic activity slowed a bit last month and with investors reluctant to add fuel to the rally ahead of the European Central Bank’s policy decision …
Despite hurdles, Delphi’s liability in GM recall could be tested
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Delphi Automotive’s name does not appear on the outside of the 2.6 million vehicles recalled by General Motors Co since February, but the company is getting drawn into a mounting wave of litigation for its role in producing the fau…
Price cuts aid first-quarter growth for euro zone businesses
LONDON (Reuters) – Euro zone businesses started 2014 with their best quarter in three years, but buoyant growth came at a cost as they slashed prices to drum up trade, which could further stoke deflation fears.
