VENTURE CAPITAL POST

France and Germany have agreed that the banking sectors in each country should pay 15 billion euros ($19 billion) toward an EU fund designed to limit the fallout from a banking collapse, French Finance Minister Michel Sapin said on Tuesday.

Investors betting that oil prices will recover are starting to support the battered prices of high-yield bonds from exploration and production (E&P) energy companies.

President Dilma Rousseff narrowly won re-election by spending heavily and promising to extend the fight against poverty but she will need to restore order to public finances in her second term to get Brazil's stalled economy back in gear.

The yen languished at two-week lows against the dollar early on Friday, having come under renewed pressure overnight after an encouraging rally on Wall Street dampened demand for the safe haven currency.

Poland's Bank BGZ will issue shares worth 2.24 billion zlotys ($676 million) to merge with BNP Paribas' Polish unit following BNP's acquisition of BGZ, the lenders said.

BNP Paribas has asked at least three banks to help it clear certain energy transactions in U.S. dollars next year to make sure it can keep its energy trade finance division operating after a ban imposed for violating U.S. sanctions, sources said.

New York's financial regulator wants some Commerzbank AG (CBKG.DE) employees to be fired as part of a settlement over allegations the German lender improperly processed transactions with Iran and other countries facing U.S. sanctions, according to people familiar with the matter.

German lender Commerzbank AG (CBKG.DE) is nearing agreement with U.S. authorities over its dealings with Iran and other countries under U.S. sanctions, sources familiar with the matter said.

BNP Paribas has acquired RCS in a deal valued USD250 million, reported Ventures Africa.

The proposed sale of ParexGroup, the industrial mortars business of construction company Materis, has stalled after the highest bids only reached €800 million. Materis and its private equity backer Wendel earlier asked for €1 billion for Parex.

BNP Paribas, the largest bank in France, said it will be buying Bank Gospodarki Zywnosciowej, the Polish arm of Dutch bank Rabobank Groep, for EUR 1 billion.

Italian banks UniCredit, Intesa Sanpaolo SpA, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA and BNP Paribas's BNL have agreed to sell a combined 59.3% stake in payment firm SIA.

Connecticut-based private equity firm Littlejohn & Co. was said to be buying e-commerce company Newgistics Inc. The deal will be financed by Littlejohn's Fund IV, which has a capital commitment of USD1.3 billion.

Chinese billionaire Yuzhu Shi and a Baring Private Equity Asia affiliate sought to take Giant Interactive Group Inc. private for USD11.75 per American Depositary Share (ADS). The consortium values the Chinese online game developer at USD2.82 billion.

British government-owned The Royal Bank of Scotland said it was looking to sell its retail investor and equity derivatives business. French bank BNP Paribas was identified as a front-runner to acquire the business unit.