Borrowing costs for the Eurozone countries that experienced the brunt of the crisis dropped after a high demand from investors for 10-year bonds offered by the Irish government, the Financial Times reported.
Finance/Venture
JPMorgan to pay $2.6 billion to US government, victims related to Madoff Ponzi scheme
Investment bank JPMorgan Chase & Co. has agreed to a $2.6 billion settlement with the US government and victims of the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme. Government prosecutors alleged that JPMorgan failed to share its suspicions of fraud at Madoff's fund with the US authorities.
Citizens Financial Group to exit retail branches in Chicago area to US Bancorp
Citizens Financial Group, a unit of the Royal Bank of Scotland, said it had agreed to exit its Chicago area retail branches and small business operations to US Bancorp.
Northwestern Mutual mulls over sale of subsidiary Russell Investments -sources
Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. is reportedly looking to sell its asset management business Russell Investments, citing that it is not a core part of its business. Russell Investments has $247 billion in assets under management.
Israel to split up conglomerates and address inequality
The Knesset or the Israeli parliament has voted to approve the dismantling of the corporate conglomerates in the country to overhaul the economy and address the issue of inequality.
Latest News
Alipay, an online payment affiliate of Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd., has struck a deal with Sina Corp. to launch and online payment service as competition rises between Alibaba and rival Tencent Holdings Ltd. Alibaba last year bought an 18% stake in Sina Weibo.
State-owned investment firm Temasek Holdings Pte. Ltd. is considering to offer bonds to individual investors in Singapore. Temasek's current $10 billion medium-term bond program offers securities to institutions.
Hedge funds have increased their bullish gold bets amid predictions given by analysts that the price of the bullion will continue to go down this year, Bloomberg reported.
Citing sources, Bloomberg reported that Germany-based Deutsche Bank had hired Yusof Annuar Yaacob, Malaysia's Chairman for Corporate Finance of Goldman Sachs Group Inc, to become the lender's country head in Malaysia.
Private equity firm Blackstone Group, which has yet to do an Australian deal, has appointed it senior adviser James Carnegie as the new senior managing director of its Sydney office. Carnegie will be replacing Paul Costello, who resigned last year.
Vietnam has increased the foreign ownership caps in banks from the previous 15% to 20% in a bid to boost the country's ailing banking system, according to a government statement.
Sao Paulo-based investment bank and asset wealth manager Grupo BTG Pactual said Brazil's presidential elections scheduled in October 2014 will curtail the mergers and acquisitions activity this year, Bloomberg reported.
US-based private equity group Blackstone bought a further 2.79% stake in Mumbai, India-based commodity bourse Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) from foreign fund house Merrill Lynch, bringing its total holding to 4.99%.
Israeli startup OneHour Translation raised $10 million from venture capital firm Fortissimo Capital for its Series A funding round. Proceeds will be used to continue with the firm's international growth.
