http://www.mail.com/subjects/1644-financial-services.html Mail.com - the best personalized free web-based Email en en http://sec-s.uicdn.com/mail.com/2.28/img/mailcom_logo_rss.png http://www.mail.com/subjects/1644-financial-services.html http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2108678-imf-chief-named-key-witness-french-payoff-case.html PARIS (AP) — After two days of intense questioning from French magistrates, International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde said Friday a court named her as a key witness in an investigation into a controversial payoff to an outspoken businessman that was arranged while she was France's finance minister — stopping short of charging her outright. Lagar... Fri, 24 May 2013 21:40:06 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2108678-imf-chief-named-key-witness-french-payoff-case.html 2013-05-24T21:40:06Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2107970-stocks-barely-budge-market-ends-week-with-loss.html NEW YORK (AP) — Major stock indexes closed out their first weekly loss in a month in quiet trading Friday. The Standard & Poor's 500 index dropped 0.91 of a point to close at 1,649.60. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 8.60 points to 15,303, a gain of 0.1 percent. Procter & Gamble supported the Dow with an increase of 4 percent. Bo... Fri, 24 May 2013 21:17:18 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2107970-stocks-barely-budge-market-ends-week-with-loss.html 2013-05-24T21:17:18Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2106438-sears-reports-bigger-than-expected-1q-loss.html NEW YORK (AP) — It was another ugly quarter for Sears Holdings Corp. The beleaguered department-store chain reported a steeper-than-expected loss for its first quarter on slumping sales. It also announced that it is considering selling its protection-agreement business in an ongoing effort to raise cash as it struggles to reverse its fortunes. The unit ru... Fri, 24 May 2013 01:08:24 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2106438-sears-reports-bigger-than-expected-1q-loss.html 2013-05-24T01:08:24Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2105342-stocks-edge-lower-investors-reassess-fed-fears.html NEW YORK (AP) — Investors recovered their poise after a shaky start to trading on Wall Street that sent stocks sharply lower. U.S. markets plummeted immediately after the opening bell Thursday following a global slump prompted partly by an unexpected slowdown in Chinese manufacturing. Concern that the Federal Reserve might ease back on its economic stimul... Thu, 23 May 2013 22:04:59 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2105342-stocks-edge-lower-investors-reassess-fed-fears.html 2013-05-23T22:04:59Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2105148-ecbs-draghi-imperative-to-set-up-bank-body.html FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said it was "imperative" that Europe's leaders create a new agency with powers to restructure busted banks in order to help the region leave its economic and financial crisis behind it once and for all. In the text of a speech to be delivered in London Thursday, Draghi said the new age... Thu, 23 May 2013 21:40:08 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2105148-ecbs-draghi-imperative-to-set-up-bank-body.html 2013-05-23T21:40:08Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2106324-big-stores-nix-credit-card-settlement-file-suit.html NEW YORK (AP) — Some of the country's largest retailers, including Target Corp. and Macy's Inc., on Thursday filed a lawsuit against MasterCard and Visa, rejecting a settlement reached last year over alleged fee-fixing. A larger group of 19 trade associations and retail companies originally filed suit against the card processing companies in 2005, claimin... Thu, 23 May 2013 19:57:57 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2106324-big-stores-nix-credit-card-settlement-file-suit.html 2013-05-23T19:57:57Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2104682-imf-chief-lagarde-court-fraud-probe.html PARIS (AP) — International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde faced hours of questioning at a special Paris court Thursday over her role in the 400 million euro ($520 million) pay-off to a controversial businessman when she was France's finance minister. The court hearing threatens to sully the reputations of both Lagarde and France. The payment was ma... Thu, 23 May 2013 19:50:02 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2104682-imf-chief-lagarde-court-fraud-probe.html 2013-05-23T19:50:02Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2105818-shareholder-adviser-firm-paying-300000-fine.html WASHINGTON (AP) — A prominent firm in the business of advising big shareholders on how to vote in elections for company directors is paying a $300,000 fine to settle federal civil charges of failing to protect clients' confidential voting information. Institutional Shareholder Services agreed to the penalty in a settlement announced Thursday with the Secu... Thu, 23 May 2013 18:44:49 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2105818-shareholder-adviser-firm-paying-300000-fine.html 2013-05-23T18:44:49Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2105206-stock-slump-continues-wall-street.html NEW YORK (AP) — A global stock market slump is continuing on Wall Street as traders worry about how committed the Federal Reserve remains to keeping up its bond-buying program. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 112 points to 15,191 in early trading Thursday, or 0.7 percent. The Standard & Poor's 500 fell 16 points to 1,638, or 1 percent. The Nasdaq fe... Thu, 23 May 2013 13:51:25 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2105206-stock-slump-continues-wall-street.html 2013-05-23T13:51:25Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2104574-japan-gyrations-underline-economys-vulnerability.html TOKYO (AP) — Japan's financial markets gyrated wildly Thursday, underscoring the vulnerability of its economy to a loss of investor confidence as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attempts shock monetary easing to end two decades of stagnation. Interest rates, or yields, on 10-year Japanese government bonds briefly topped 1 percent for the first time in a year on... Thu, 23 May 2013 11:27:23 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2104574-japan-gyrations-underline-economys-vulnerability.html 2013-05-23T11:27:23Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2102836-stocks-fall-news-fed-weighed-cutting-stimulus.html NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Reserve took financial markets for a ride Wednesday, pushing stock prices up in the morning then sending them down in the afternoon. Prices surged on congressional testimony by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke early in the day that suggested the central bank would not slow its massive economic stimulus program any time soon. Then minu... Wed, 22 May 2013 22:08:24 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2102836-stocks-fall-news-fed-weighed-cutting-stimulus.html 2013-05-22T22:08:24Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2103826-divided-fed-wrestles-with-when-to-slow-bond-buys.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve is torn over when to slow its aggressive efforts to stimulate the economy. Its uncertainty burst into view Wednesday, when Chairman Ben Bernanke testified to Congress in the morning and the Fed in the afternoon released the minutes of its last policy meeting. Stock prices gyrated through the day as investors struggled... Wed, 22 May 2013 20:51:23 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2103826-divided-fed-wrestles-with-when-to-slow-bond-buys.html 2013-05-22T20:51:23Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2103448-fed-weighed-slowing-pace-bond-purchases.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Several Federal Reserve policymakers this month favored slowing the Fed's efforts to maintain record-low long-term interest rates as early as June — if the economy showed strong and sustained growth. But those officials appeared at odds over what evidence would demonstrate such gains. Minutes of the Fed's April 30-May 1 meeting released ... Wed, 22 May 2013 18:49:50 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2103448-fed-weighed-slowing-pace-bond-purchases.html 2013-05-22T18:49:50Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2101934-weak-yen-help-japan-headache.html TOKYO (AP) — A steady fall in the value of the yen is proving a godsend for exporters such as Toyota. The cheaper yen is making their products more affordable overseas. Japan's trading partners are generally pleased, too, even though the lower yen makes their exports relatively more expensive. As many see it, other nations — from China to Britain to the U... Wed, 22 May 2013 17:04:20 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2101934-weak-yen-help-japan-headache.html 2013-05-22T17:04:20Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2102326-imf-calls-britain-to-growth.html LONDON (AP) — The International Monetary Fund has called on Britain to do more to support the economic recovery, urging the government Wednesday to speed up investment in infrastructure and come up with a plan to privatize its bailed out banks. In a review of Britain's policies, which had been hotly anticipated after the IMF last month criticized the gove... Wed, 22 May 2013 15:31:35 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2102326-imf-calls-britain-to-growth.html 2013-05-22T15:31:35Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2102596-iceland-forms-center-right-govt-halts-eu-talks.html REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — The leader of the center-right Progressive Party was chosen as Iceland's new prime minister Wednesday and promptly announced a halt to talks with the European Union about joining the 27-nation bloc. Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson spoke about the policy shift at a press conference after being selected premier. "The government intend... Wed, 22 May 2013 15:14:46 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2102596-iceland-forms-center-right-govt-halts-eu-talks.html 2013-05-22T15:14:46Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2102756-stocks-edge-higher-investors-watch-fed.html NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are opening slightly higher as investors watch for the latest moves from the Federal Reserve. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 39 points at 15,424 shortly after the opening bell Wednesday, a gain of 0.2 percent. The Standard & Poor's 500 index was up four points at 1,673, or 0.2 percent. The Nasdaq composite was up three at 3... Wed, 22 May 2013 13:48:05 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2102756-stocks-edge-higher-investors-watch-fed.html 2013-05-22T13:48:05Z http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/2102308-sony-mulls-hedge-funds-entertainment-sale-idea.html TOKYO (AP) — Sony's CEO Kazuo Hirai says the electronics giant's board will discuss a proposal by U.S. hedge fund manager Daniel Loeb to spin off up to 20 percent of its movie, TV and music division. Hirai was asked about the proposal at a corporate strategy presentation Wednesday. He did not give a timetable for a decision, and would not give his own op... Wed, 22 May 2013 09:54:45 GMT http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/2102308-sony-mulls-hedge-funds-entertainment-sale-idea.html 2013-05-22T09:54:45Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2101920-japans-central-bank-economy-picking-up.html TOKYO (AP) — Japan's central bank says the world's third-biggest economy is "picking up" as demand recovers in other countries and remains resilient at home, though the trade deficit widened in April, for the tenth straight month. The Bank of Japan ended a policy meeting on Wednesday with no change to its strategy of doubling the monetary base to reach a ... Wed, 22 May 2013 06:10:39 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2101920-japans-central-bank-economy-picking-up.html 2013-05-22T06:10:39Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2101790-bernanke-testimony-to-studied-policy-clues.html WASHINGTON (AP) — When Ben Bernanke testifies about the U.S. economy Wednesday, the Federal Reserve chairman's words will be examined for any clues that the Fed might soon taper — or increase — its support for the economy. The Fed is pursuing an aggressive program of bond purchases to try to keep long-term interest rates down and encourage borrowing and s... Wed, 22 May 2013 04:09:02 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2101790-bernanke-testimony-to-studied-policy-clues.html 2013-05-22T04:09:02Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2100384-egypt-tax-law-cuts-poor-business-hikes.html CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's president signed a new tax law Tuesday that cuts the amount paid by poorer Egyptians in the latest move aimed at reforming the country's economy. The changes, which are more favorable than the previous tax law for the country's most vulnerable, could boost Islamists in parliamentary elections slated for later this year. The interim pa... Tue, 21 May 2013 21:00:28 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2100384-egypt-tax-law-cuts-poor-business-hikes.html 2013-05-21T21:00:28Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2099714-german-central-bank-economy-to-improve-markedly.html FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Germany's central bank expects the country's economy to improve "markedly" in the second quarter — a development that could boost the wider eurozone as it struggles to get out of recession. The Bundesbank said Tuesday that Europe's largest economy should expand more robustly after a weak first three months of the year. Germany gr... Tue, 21 May 2013 13:21:28 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2099714-german-central-bank-economy-to-improve-markedly.html 2013-05-21T13:21:28Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2097880-small-company-stock-bright-spot.html NEW YORK (AP) — Small-company stocks were a bright spot in a subdued start to the week for Wall Street. The Russell 2000, an index of small-company stocks, climbed above 1,000 points for the first time and ended higher Monday, even as the Dow Jones industrial average, the Standard & Poor's 500 index and the Nasdaq composite index all edged lower. ... Mon, 20 May 2013 22:37:05 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2097880-small-company-stock-bright-spot.html 2013-05-20T22:37:05Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2098288-blackstone-group-offers-to-take-pactera-private.html Private equity firm Blackstone Group LP, along with Pactera's CEO and other managers, have offered to take Pactera private in a deal that values the Chinese technology consulting and outsourcing firm at $680.4 million. Shares rose 31 percent Monday. Through Friday's close, before news of the offer, Pactera's stock had lost about two-thirds of its value ov... Mon, 20 May 2013 17:23:38 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2098288-blackstone-group-offers-to-take-pactera-private.html 2013-05-20T17:23:38Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2097236-china-sentences-underground-bank-operator-to-death.html BEIJING (AP) — A businesswoman in southern China has been sentenced to death on charges of defrauding investors as the government tightens controls on informal financing that is widely used by entrepreneurs. Lin Haiyan was convicted of "illegal fundraising" for collecting 640 million yuan ($100 million) from investors by promising high returns and low ris... Mon, 20 May 2013 08:45:45 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2097236-china-sentences-underground-bank-operator-to-death.html 2013-05-20T08:45:45Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2096556-jamie-dimon-under-pressure-ahead-investor-vote.html NEW YORK (AP) — Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO of the country's biggest bank, faces a key test this week: His shareholders are voting on whether to let him keep both jobs. It's been just more than a year since his bank, JPMorgan Chase, revealed a surprise trading loss that tarnished its usually stellar reputation in Washington and on Wall Street, and what ... Mon, 20 May 2013 03:44:37 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2096556-jamie-dimon-under-pressure-ahead-investor-vote.html 2013-05-20T03:44:37Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/2094904-pope-leads-pep-rally-vatican-meets-with-merkel.html VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis lamented that investment losses by banks trigger more alarm in the economic crisis than the struggle of people to feed their families, as he led a huge rally Saturday to invigorate the church's moral conscience, hours after he held talks at the Vatican about the economic crisis with Germany's leader. Some 200,000 people, f... Sat, 18 May 2013 23:26:21 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/2094904-pope-leads-pep-rally-vatican-meets-with-merkel.html 2013-05-18T23:26:21Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2093732-cyprus-drops-limits-8-foreign-banks.html NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus on Friday got rid of limits on money transfers and withdrawals for international clients of another eight foreign banks doing business in the debt-laden country. The Finance Ministry said in a new decree the capital control exemptions now apply to Lebanon's Banque Bemo, BBAC, Credit Libanais and Bank of Beirut, France-based B... Fri, 17 May 2013 20:02:35 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2093732-cyprus-drops-limits-8-foreign-banks.html 2013-05-17T20:02:35Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2093440-fitch-downgrades-slovenia-amid-banking-concerns.html LONDON (AP) — Fitch Ratings agency has downgraded Slovenia's credit grade by one notch, citing a weak economic outlook and a frail banking system. It cut the government bond rating to BBB+ from A-, which is still investment grade. It left a negative outlook, suggesting there's a risk of another downgrade. Fitch said the prospects for Slovenia's economy an... Fri, 17 May 2013 17:03:46 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2093440-fitch-downgrades-slovenia-amid-banking-concerns.html 2013-05-17T17:03:46Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2093236-top-officials-call-to-overhaul-euro-institutions.html BERLIN (AP) — Engineering a financial bailout for Cyprus in March was such a chaotic process that top European officials say it is time to rethink how the region manages its crisis — and who should be involved. Officials say the International Monetary Fund, which has contributed financial expertise and billions in emergency loans, may no longer be needed ... Fri, 17 May 2013 15:32:04 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2093236-top-officials-call-to-overhaul-euro-institutions.html 2013-05-17T15:32:04Z