Medici lawyer says Kohn didn't get Madoff payments
NEW YORK/VIENNA - Austrian fund manager Sonja Kohn did not receive any kickbacks from Bernard Madoff to steer Bank Medici customer funds to the swindler's investment business, a Medici lawyer said on Friday. "There were no Madoff payments to Kohn. There were no kickbacks," lawyer Andreas Theiss told Reuters.
Teck to sell 17 percent stake to China for C$1.74 billion
TORONTO - Teck Resources <TCKb.TO> said on Friday it will sell a 17.2 percent equity stake to state-owned China Investment Corp in a deal that will help the Canadian miner pay down its debt while expanding China's portfolio of commodity investments. China, the No.1 importer of iron ore, copper and other commodities, has been steadily buying stakes in overseas producers in a broad strategy aimed at securing supply for its burgeoning economy.
Earnings to set tone for stocks in week ahead
NEW YORK - With Wall Street stuck in a range since May, the start of second-quarter earnings season next week could prove to be a decisive factor for determining how much faith investors should have in an economic recovery. After a rally of as much as 40 percent for the S&P 500 on expectations the economy will begin to turn around by year end, analysts will hone in on companies' projections to see if their hopes are corroborated.
Stanford clients sue insurance broker Willis Group
NEW YORK - Several Mexican clients of Stanford Financial Group have sued insurance broker Willis Group Holdings Ltd <WSH.N>, contending it was a willing participant in a $7 billion fraud at the Texas-based investment company. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Dallas, said Willis "crossed the line from being mere insurance brokers" to essentially acting as sales agents for Stanford.
Dollar status unlikely to be in G8 communique: G8 source
- The dollar's status as the top global reserve currency is unlikely to be mentioned explicitly in the final communique at next week's Group of Eight summit, a European G8 source involved in preparations for the meeting said on Friday. "It is expected to be mentioned and discussed remotely. But the discussions have not yet reached the level of putting it in writing in the communiques," the source, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters.
Oil brokerage PVM names rogue trader behind oil spike
LONDON - PVM Oil Futures Limited said on Friday Steve Perkins, a senior broker based at the firm's London office, was responsible for unauthorized trades earlier this week which landed the firm with a loss of nearly $10 million. The London-based brokerage said Perkins had taken the positions in Brent crude futures early on Tuesday.
Global stocks dip as investors cautious on recovery
LONDON - World stocks fell on Friday after a disappointing U.S. jobs report and a sluggish euro zone services sector survey reinforced expectations that the process of recovery in the global economy would be long and slow. U.S. employers cut far more jobs than expected last month and the unemployment rate hit 9.5 percent, the highest in nearly 26 years.
China moves on Opel with BAIC bid
FRANKFURT/MUNICH has submitted an indicative, non-binding offer for Germany's Opel, sources familiar with the situation told Reuters, and would make a binding offer by mid-July.
Oil falls below $66 after bleak U.S. jobs data
LONDON - Oil dropped a dollar to below $66 a barrel on Friday after unemployment data hardened views economic weakness would sap energy demand and that last month's rally was overdone. In the latest sign the economy of the world's top consumer was still struggling, data on Thursday showed U.S. employers cut 467,000 jobs in June and the jobless rate rose to a 26-year high. Euro zone unemployment climbed to a 10-year high.
Michael Jackson's death could benefit Dutch fund
AMSTERDAM - For Dutch pension fund ABP, Michael Jackson's death could be good for business. The passing of the man called "King of Pop" last week has created a run on his music, which is partly owned by Dutch state pension fund ABP. It is the world's third-largest state pension fund after Japan's and Norway's.