VENTURE CAPITAL POST

Barclays Plc, UK's third largest bank, is expected to announce Jes Staley, former JPMorgan Chase banker, as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Staley is believed to have accepted the offer from Barclays, according to the unconfirmed market news. The appointment is expected to be announced within two weeks. Even after the confirmation of the offer, Staley will have to get approval from Britain's financial regulator. Barclay's investment banking activity has been under pressure for some time. Choosing Staley could result in renewed focus on the investment banking.

The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), the Doha-based sovereign wealth fund of the world's richest nation by per capita income manages over $300 billion, has opened its office in New York and earmarked $35-billion investment over next five years in the US business opportunity.

UniCredit is examining an option to trim its headcount as part of the cost cutting measures to enhance profitability of the bank. Towards this, the Italy's biggest bank by assets would cut 10,000 jobs or seven percent of the total workforce.

The Swiss bank Credit Suisse Group AG will have to shell out $80 million in fines and disgorgement to the US regulators in an alternative trading-related settlement case. Credit Suisse didn't reveal its operations in dark pool private share trading exchange to the clients.

Semiconductor company Silicon Image Inc, whose technology helps streams video between consumer electronic devices, is exploring strategic alternatives, including selling itself, according to people familiar with the matter.

This spring, Taser International Inc won a small but high-profile contract to supply body cameras to the London police. But the deal nearly collapsed over one issue: where the video footage would be stored.

The forecasts of the ongoing cold weather in several US key cities has made investors increase their bets on US natural gas futures.

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.

Le Groupe Lactalis reportedly acquired India's Tirumala Milk Products for $275 million. Lactalis bought the 74% stake held by Tirumala Milk's founders and the remaining 26% from private equity firm Carlyle Group.

A statement from the office of the British Prime Minister David Cameron revealed that 6,000 mortgage applications, with over 80% of them as first-time buyers, applied for home loans under the government's Help-to-Buy program.

Northern & Shell, the owner of Channel 5 Broadcasting Ltd., is reportedly considering to put up the TV broadcaster for sale for £700 million. Northern & Shell acquired Channel 5 for £103.5 million in 2010.

Qatar's Al Jazeera is mulling over a bid for a controlling stake Turkish pay-TV company Digiturk. Digiturk is an Istanbul-based satellite TV provider with an enterprise value of $1.5 billion.

KKR & Co and the private equity arm of Goldman Sachs Group Inc quietly exited their investment in US discount retailer Dollar General Corp on Wednesday in a stock sale valued at $252 million.

Mizuho Financial Group Inc were said to be focusing on hedge funds as its potential buyers of corporate bonds at the height of the securities trading at below face values, Bloomberg said in its report.

Britain's Barclays PLC, Japan's Nomura and the Royal Bank of Canada are leading the loan financing for Hellman & Friedman LLC's buyout of Scout24. The classified advertising business will be bought for EUR700 million in debt funding.