. With elections looming in many African countries, banks are likely to feel increasing political heat to cut sky-high lending costs but are unlikely to unleash growth-boosting cheap credit into their economies.
. Investors other than ordinary shareholders would take a loss before banks are bailed out by taxpayers or fail under a new proposal from the Basel Committee of global banking regulators. The
. The Russian drought has intensified a debate about food security in a warming world and helped frame a multi-billion-dollar takeover bid for fertiliser company Potash Corp as a bet on rising
. Deep cuts in funding for top British athletes are likely to be delayed until the London 2012 Olympics are over to avoid damaging the country's hopes of a rich medal haul.
. New EU rules to boost insurers' financial strength will spur more issues of securities tied to natural disasters and peak mortality risks as the sector moves onto even safer footing, Swiss
. China's richest citizens are even wealthier than the statistics suggest, and may hold as much as 9.3 trln yuan ($1.4 trln) of hidden assets, according to a Credit Suisse-sponsored study by
. By Estelle Shirbon, Reuters As opposition leader, David Cameron was often portrayed as a smooth public relations man, always on message and good on television. As prime minister of Britain, he
. The European leveraged loan market, in the doldrums for nearly two years, is set for further growth in the second half as risk appetite returns to help private equity sponsors and
. Germany will not agree to global supervisors' proposals to beef up banking capital and liquidity until they take into account the needs of its public banking sector, officials said on Tuesday.
. Many small businesses around the world, especially in Turkey and the Middle East, plan to boost investment and hiring, a survey showed on Wednesday, at a time when the global outlook
