EU watchdog to rule on Aviva and Friends Life merger by 13 March
EU antitrust regulators could demand concessions on concerns that the merged entity could lead to higher prices.
China rolls out its first ETF options on the Shanghai bourse
The options are based on the exchange-traded fund (ETF) that tracks the SSE50 index.
Citi's Czech retail operations draw interest from five banks
Ceska Sporitelna, Komercni Banka, CSOB, Raiffeisenbank and Fio Banka to table bids.
Alibaba's Ant Financial could sell a stake at $30bn valuation
Ant Financial runs Alipay, China's most widely used online payment platform.
India's SBI, Bank of Baroda and Canara Bank among those getting $1.13bn infusion
State lenders hit by stressed loans and corporate governance issues.
Oil rallies on US data and growing interest in oil fund
Crude oil prices benefit from upbeat US January jobs report and declining US oil and gas drilling activity.
Gold set to drop further as markets see June US Fed rate hike
Upbeat US January jobs report will compel market to focus on US economy, the greenback and US interest rates.
Chinese solar giant Hanergy wants to expand via acquisitions
Hanergy bought US-based Alta Devices in 2014 for technology that converts record amounts of solar energy in low-light.
A housing bubble in Hong Kong won't topple its economy
Market watchers believe even a "collapse" in house prices will not set off a prolonged "economic downturn" in the city.
US-based Mirach Capital rejects Sahara accusations of forgery
Sahara has tried to remortgage or sell London's Grosvenor House and two hotels in New York to bail boss Subrata Roy
Alibaba's Ant Financial to buy 25% of India's One97 for over $500m
One97 Communications runs m-commerce platform Paytm.
BNP Paribas's stock drops on dismal outlook and 2014 profit
BNP's 2014 net profit tanks some 97% owing to the near $9bn US settlement.
BT finalises £12.5bn deal to buy UK's largest mobile operator EE
BT has finalised the deal to purchase EE from Deutsche Telekom and Orange for cash and shares totalling £12.5 billion
China: Central bank cuts bank RRR to boost growth
PBoC move aimed at lifting China's economic growth from a 24-year low.
Prudential and Aviva shortlisted for $1.5bn DBS bancassurance deal
DBS's near $1.5bn insurance distribution deal gives global insurers access to Asia's fast-growing insurance market.
Alibaba and Lending Club to loan small US firms $300,000 to buy Chinese goods
San Francisco-based Lending Club is an online match-maker connecting borrowers with lenders for a fee.
Russia's Gazprom to slash 2015 capex by some $8bn
Gazprom, however, does not expect cuts to affect its plans to build gas pipelines to China.
Apple borrows billions despite record profits and cash hoard
Monday's $6.5bn debt sale is the tech giant's fourth major debt offering in two years.
Banco Santander's fourth-quarter profit jumps 70%
Spanish lender logs net profit of €1.46bn for three-months to December 2014.
South Africa may sell Vodacom stake to raise funds for power plants
South Africa could raise over 86bn rand from the sale of publicly traded assets and real estate.
Julius Baer's stock jumps on US tax probe update and cost cuts
Zurich-based lender to cut jobs and costs in response to the abrupt appreciation of the Swiss franc.
Most Chinese cities failed to meet air standards in 2014
Of the 10 worst-performing cities in 2014, seven were in the industrial province of Hebei, which surrounds Beijing.
Sony to spend $891m to boost image sensor production
Sony to boost capacity in Japan to 80,000 wafers a month by the end of June 2016, from about 60,000 a month at present.
India's Vodafone decision lowers tax worries for Shell, IBM and others
Tax lawyers say cases involving Shell, IBM, Nokia, Microsoft and others could now be resolved through negotiation.
China's market watchdog launches fresh probe into margin trading
China Securities Regulatory Commission to inspect stock margin trading business of 46 firms.
Royal Dutch Shell to slash spending by $15bn over three years
The announcement came as the Anglo-Dutch firm said fourth-quarter earnings rose to $4.2bn versus $2.2bn a year ago.
Deutsche Bank posts unexpected profit for fourth-quarter
Deutsche Bank reports pre-tax profit of €253m for fourth-quarter of 2014.
Japan's Skymark Airlines preparing to file for bankruptcy
Budget carrier Skymark Airlines' board has scheduled an emergency meeting tonight to decide on the filing.
Shell bags $11bn deal to build petrochemicals plant in Iraq
The Nibras petrochemicals complex is expected to be operational in five to six years.
US Federal Reserve to remain 'patient' over interest rates
Fed officials have indicated they will proceed with an initial interest rate hike in the middle or latter half of 2015.
