The European Union and Singapore concluded a free trade agreement that would make doing business easier and more transparent for both countries.

Real estate firm Foxtons debuted strong in the London bourse, with early trading placing the firm's value at GBP 788 million or USD 1.27 billion.

The Royal Bank of Scotland raised GBP 630 million by selling all the shares it holds in insurer Direct Line.

Apple Inc. launched the sale of its new iPhone handsets in China on the same day as other main markets.

Twitter Inc. had been in talks to add more banks to its upcoming IPO, said sources. Twitter Inc. had been in discussion to add banks to its underwriting syndicate.

Agilent Technologies announced a spinoff plan that would create two separate public companies. Agilent Technologies is the manufacturer of scientific-testing equipment spun off from Hewlett Packard Co.

Belgian financial group Dexia said it would enter into exclusive talks with New York Life Investment as it planned to sell the company's asset management unit.

Roche Holding AG's CEO Severin Schwan said the company won't raise any credit financing after a report from the DealReporter said Roche would acquire BioMarin Pharmaceuticals.

Emmanuel Fievet, Barclays Plc's head for UK and Europe had left the bank following Stefanie Drews' departure from the banks' group of wealthy clients and family offices in London.

BIND Therapeutics announced the pricing of its initial public offer of 4,700,000 shares at USD15 per share.

The Empire State Realty Trust Inc. whose properties include the Empire State Building had filed to raise a hefty USD1.07 billion in proceeds, according to a regulatory filing today.

JP Morgan Chase & Co. reached a milestone in cleaning up its legal affairs however it had also left the company a hefty USD1 billion settlement payments.

Sentry Equipment Corp. announced its acquisition of Accurate Tool Company assets. Sentry Equipment Corp is a leading worldwide supplier of industrial sampling products and systems.

JP Morgan Chase & Co. had been poised to pay approximately USD900 million to settle claims from both US and UK regulators.

The proposed share buyback of Activision Blizzard Inc. of its Vivendi SA's shares was blocked by a judge in Delaware Chancery Court in Wilmington.

Goldman Sachs Investment Partners started a new Asian fund named Oryza Capital early this month, according to sources.

On Wednesday, GMR Infrastructure announced it had sold its stake in its highway construction unit to India Infrastructure valued INR222 million.

Apple had just released the iOS7 ready iTunes 11.1 which brought iTunes Radio to its desktop music software according to a techcrunch.com report.

Apple Inc. announced that the new set of iPhones would be released in the country on the same day as Europe, US and Japan.

East West Bancorp and MetroCorp Bancshares Inc. announced today the signing of a definitive agreement for the merger of MetroCorp into East West.

According to sources, NewStar Financial Inc. had been looking on a possible sale and hired Credit Suisse Group to solicit offers.

Today, Walker Digital and GlobalOptions Group announced that the two firms had completed its previously agreed merger which formed the new entity called Patent Properties Inc.

On Wednesday, Hilton Worldwide said it would start marketing a high yield bond valued USD3.25 billion on Thursday as a part of the company's refinancing ahead of its IPO.

Retrophin announced today that it had made another proposal to acquire all Transcept Pharmaceuticals Inc. shares of common stock valued USD4 per share in cash.

Today, Roadrunner Transportation Systems announced its acquisition of YES Trans Inc. valued approximately USD1.2 million in cash.

After the announced stake sale last Tuesday, Varde Management and Deutsche Bank had raised GBP108.6 million from the sale

On Wednesday, Vale SA said it had planned to sell control of VLI SA to Brookfield Asset Management Inc, Mitsui Co and FGTS valued BRL4 billion.

Apple Canada announced the suggest retail prices for those who would be getting the new iPhones on contract in Canada.

A report in The Australian gave Apple aficionados the lowdown on the iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S. A report in The Australian gave the lowdown on Apple's two latest models, the iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S.

The iPhone 5C may be cheap but it's got glamour and class, said a review in The Independent. Apple sought to develop a more affordable iPhone for customers on a budget and the company came up with the iPhone 5C.