World economy
HSBC profits at $21.9 billion on strong Asia growth
27 Feb 2012
Europe's largest bank, HSBC Holdings, made a $21.9 billion profit last year, the largest among western banks, due to its Asian strength which allowed it cope with a euro zone debt crisis that has plunged many rivals into huge losses
G-20 puts off key decisions on aid to Europe
27 Feb 2012
Gillard defeats Rudd in Labor party leadership battle
27 Feb 2012
Australian prime minister Julia Gillard defeated predecessor Kevin Rudd in a leadership ballot, giving her an opportunity to unite the ruling Labor party and brighten its poll prospects ahead of the 2013 elections
The Bernanke Redemption
25 Feb 2012
The strident criticism of Bernanke is now gradually giving way to a grudging acknowledgment of the Fed’s achievements under him. History will likely judge that while Bernanke failed to anticipate and prevent the 2008 global financial crisis, the Fed under his leadership did help save the world from another depression. By Shivshanker Verma
India to press for BRICS bank at Mexico G20 meet
24 Feb 2012
US initial jobless claims at 4-year low
24 Feb 2012
Euro zone finance ministers seal €130-billion Greece bailout
21 Feb 2012
Euro zone finance ministers yesterday sealed a €130-billion bailout for Greece to help the debt-stricken country avert a chaotic default in March
Eurozone finance ministers expected to approve Greek bailout today
20 Feb 2012
Greece is desperately in need of assistance from the EU and the IMF to avoid a default on the repayment of €14.5 billion debt due on 20 March
Iran stops crude sale to British and French companies
20 Feb 2012
Iran has stopped sale of crude to British and French companies, the Iranian oil ministry said yesterday. The move comes as a retaliation against fresh EU sanctions
MI5 files reveal Nazi counterfeiting of British currency
18 Feb 2012
According to Bank of England historian John Keyword, by 1944 the authorities in Britain were so alarmed at the impact of the fake note that all notes with a face value of £10 or more had to be recalled
German president Christian Wulff resigns over corruption scandal
17 Feb 2012
Amidst growing scrutiny of his financial affairs, including vacations at the homes of business people, prosecutors in Lower Saxony have now sought parliament’s nod to prosecute German President Christian Wulff
US mortgage meltdown scenario improves
17 Feb 2012
Claimants for jobless benefits drops in the US
17 Feb 2012
US lags India, China and Brazil in R&D growth: Pentagon study
16 Feb 2012
The US lags behind India, China and Brazil in rate of growth in research and development indicators, according to a Pentagon report