An Iraqi bank controlled by Jordanian interests plans to open five more branches in Iraq by the end of this year, a sign that there is still money to be made in much of the country despite civil war and low oil prices.
Regions
Germany sees progress on Greece, EU officials to confer on Thursday
A senior German official said on Tuesday there was no reason to believe Greece would be in default after a 300 million euro payment to the IMF falls due on June 5.
Dollar hits one-month high as periphery woes weigh on Europe
Greece's financial crisis and signs of growing opposition to austerity in Spain sent the euro to its lowest level in a month on Tuesday, while shares and commodities took a knock as the dollar powered higher.
UBS seeks to offload Australian wealth unit to management: source
UBS is seeking to offload its private bank in Australia to the unit's management following a review of underperforming businesses at the Swiss bank, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Monday.
Regulation should be main tool against bubbles: Fed's Mester
Central bankers should be aware of the potentially destabilizing effects of super-easy policy on financial systems, a top U.S. Federal Reserve official said on Monday, even if monetary policy should not be used as a main tool to prevent bubbles.
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Brazilian Finance Minister Joaquim Levy said on Monday that the size of the budget freeze announced last week was "adequate," but he expressed concern about the forecast for government revenues this year.
The dollar hit a one-month high against a basket of major currencies on Monday after stronger-than-expected underlying U.S. inflation bolstered the Federal Reserve's case for an interest rate hike later this year.
Crude oil futures edged lower toward $65 a barrel as the dollar strengthened on Monday, with a public holiday in the United States and much of Europe keeping trading muted.
China's state planning agency on Monday released a list of more than 1,000 proposed projects totalling 1.97 trillion yuan ($317.75 billion) that it is inviting private investors to help fund, build and operate.
European shares fell in thin trade on Monday while the dollar powered ahead after U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen indicated that the central bank was poised to raise interest rates this year.
Italian media tycoon and former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi is still looking for a co-investor in AC Milan to help revive the fortunes of the Serie A soccer club which he has owned for nearly three decades.
When Chinese flight booking operator Baitour needed cash to grow its business last year, it opted against using Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, its long-term lender and the world's largest bank, turning instead to Internet finance startup Jimu Box.
Criticized and even sued by luxury brand Gucci and others for facilitating the counterfeit goods trade, Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd has been quietly piloting a scheme to try to curb fakes at source.
China and Peru have agreed to study the feasibility of a controversial 5,300 km (3,300 miles) transcontinental railroad that will connect Peru's Pacific coast with Brazil's Atlantic coast, China's official Xinhua News Agency reported.
