IMF warns of potential risks to global growth

(Reuters) - Sharply higher interest rates around the world could combine with weaker growth in emerging markets to slice as much as 2 percentage points off global growth in the next five years, the International Monetary Fund said on Tuesday.

U.S. seen maintaining solid pace of jobs growth in July

(Reuters) - U.S employment growth likely retained enough momentum in July to help buoy the economy for the rest of the year.

Strike ends in South Africa as wages to increase

A four-week strike in South Africa has come to an end after the country's biggest trade union sealed a deal with employers.

U.S. business spending data gives mixed signals on growth

(Reuters) - A mixed reading on the health of U.S. business investment on Friday suggested the economy may not have rebounded as strongly in the second quarter as previously believed, but it offered hope for the rest of 2014.

GDP surpasses pre-recession high as economic growth hits 0.8%

Britain's economy has recovered the losses caused by the financial crisis and surpassed its pre-recession peak in the second quarter of the year, by posting a growth rate of 0.8%.

German business '100 percent behind sanctions' if Putin doesn't help

(Reuters) - A German business leader who has previously warned against economic sanctions on Russia has come out in support of tougher action if President Vladimir Putin fails to cooperate on stabilizing the situation in Ukraine.

Banks may have to set aside more to cover bad loans

Changes to international accounting standards will mean banks have to record potential losses from their loan portfolios sooner, rather than waiting for borrowers to default.

Australian banks cut fixed mortgage rates as RBA seen on hold

(Reuters) - Two of Australia's biggest banks cut their fixed-rate home loans on Wednesday in a move analysts said reflected lower borrowing costs and expectations that the Reserve Bank of Australia will keep rates at record lows.

SFO investigates price rigging in foreign exchange market

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has launched a criminal investigation into allegations of price rigging in the £3tn-a-day foreign exchange market.

Bundesbank sees German economy stagnating in second quarter

(Reuters) - The German economy probably stagnated in the second quarter in the face of political tensions abroad, the Bundesbank said on Monday, but chances are its recovery will not be held up for long by conflicts on the rim of Europe.

Kuroda Softens Yen Stance as Export Pain Evaporates: Currencies

Foreign-exchange traders detect a softening in Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda’s stance toward the stronger yen.

IMF sees Ukraine's economy shrinking faster than feared

Kiev (AFP) - The International Monetary Fund warned Friday that the pro-Russia uprising engulfing Ukraine's vital industrial east had dealt a "notable" blow that would shrink its economy faster than feared.

U.S. consumer sentiment dips in preliminary July reading

(Reuters) - U.S. consumer sentiment dipped in early July while an index of consumer expectations weakened for a third straight month, a survey released on Friday showed.

Ukraine crisis: US and EU boost sanctions on Russia

The US and EU have bolstered sanctions against Russia over its alleged support for separatists fighting in Ukraine.

Global business leaders push for infrastructure funding overhaul

(Reuters) - International business leaders are lobbying the Group of 20 bloc of advanced and developing countries to tackle a $57 trillion shortfall in global infrastructure, pressing for changes to funding rules they say would help big projects move ahead.

Inflation in sharp rise to 1.9% in June

The rate of UK inflation rose sharply in June, pushed up by higher clothing, footwear, food and non-alcoholic drinks prices, official figures show.

Fed official urges financial stability mandate

Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer on Thursday suggested that banking regulators should seriously consider broadening their goals to include financial stability as policymakers around the world debate strategies for preventing another global crisis.

China President Xi Jinping departs for South America tour

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday departed for a visit to four South American countries, including Brazil, to build ties in a resources-rich region traditionally considered the backyard of the United States.

U.S budget surplus falls to $71 billion in June

(Reuters) - The U.S. budget surplus was $71 billion at the end of June, down 39 percent from the same period last year, according to data released by the Treasury Department on Friday.

Bank of England keeps UK interest rates at 0.5%

The Bank of England has held UK interest rates at a record low of 0.5% for another month.

U.K. Would Prioritize Pound in Crises, ECB Tells Court

The Bank of England and other U.K. supervisors may prioritize sterling over the stability of the euro area during a crisis, a lawyer for the European Central Bank told a court today to justify its policy on clearinghouses.

ECB looks to banks to deliver quantitative easing on its behalf

(Reuters) - The European Central Bank is hoping a new round of long-term loans will be used by banks to drive down borrowing costs - a substitute for an asset-purchase scheme of its own which would avert a potentially damaging internal split.

British Chambers of Commerce warns against 'hasty' rate rise

The Bank of England should not make any "hasty decisions" on raising interest rates, warns the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).

China's premier says country's economy improving

BEIJING (AP) — China's economy improved in the latest quarter but faces "downward pressure," and Beijing will increase the strength of targeted policy measures to shore up growth, the country's premier said Monday.

Rapidly rising UK house prices not just a 'London problem' - BoE's Cunliffe

LONDON (Reuters) - The problem of rapidly rising house prices is not isolated to London, a top Bank of England policymaker said on Thursday.

Spanish Notes Climb Amid Speculation ECB Loans Will Extend Rally

Spanish two-year notes rose for a second week, with yields dropping to a record, as details of the European Central Bank’s targeted-loans program boosted bets this year’s rally in fixed-income assets can extend.

ECB says measures will push inflation up, but money-printing still possible

(Reuters) - A raft of policy measures introduced last month will help lift inflation and support bank lending but the European Central Bank stands ready to create money in future if required, President Mario Draghi said on Thursday.

Hollande Says Big BNP Fine May Hit Europe Bank Stability

A potential $10 billion fine against BNP Paribas SA (BNP), France's biggest bank, for violating U.S. trade sanctions could have repercussions affecting the stability of Europe's financial sector, French President Francois Hollande warned ahead of his meeting with President Barack Obama.

Monetary policy not best financial stability tool: Yellen

(Reuters) - Monetary policy faces "significant limitations" as a tool to address financial stability risks, and would have caused major economic damage if it had been used to head off the U.S. housing bubble, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said on Wednesday.

EU banks watchdog backs keeping low capital charges on covered bonds

(Reuters) - European Union banking regulators has backed maintaining a low capital treatment for top quality covered bonds against the risk of default, a recommendation Denmark and other major players in the 2.8 trillion euro global market will welcome.

Fed won't raise interest rates for "some time": Williams

SUN VALLEY, Idaho, June 30 (Reuters) - The U.S economy will likely have returned to full employment and a healthy level of inflation by the end of 2016, a top Federal Reserve official predicted on Monday, even as he reiterated his view that interest rates will need to stay near zero for some time.