EU sets economic priorities for next five years

BRUSSELS — Leaders of the European Union (EU) said that they have set economic priorities for the next five years, media reported Saturday.

Steady job growth boosts US consumer confidence despite economy's slowdown

WASHINGTON – Strong job growth lifted U.S. consumer confidence this month, as Americans looked past the economy's dismal first quarter performance.

KKR Joins Sovereigns Seeking Seoul Skyline Yields: Korea Markets

KKR & Co. bought an skyscraper in downtown Seoul, within walking distance from blocks owned by wealth funds of Azerbaijan and Singapore, as falling bond yields and a revived economy spurs a search for higher returns.

How to tame your property bubble

But that's the challenge officials took on Thursday in the face of mounting evidence of a property bubble in London and concerns that reckless lending could leave U.K. borrowers struggling when interest rates inevitably rise.

Norway’s Frontier Gamble Will Bolster Market, HSBC Says

Norway’s decision to have its $890 billion sovereign wealth fund boost investments in frontier markets will probably attract more institutional investors to the asset class, according to HSBC Holdings Plc.

China's sovereign fund mismanaged some investment: audit

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's $575-billion sovereign wealth fund mismanaged some of its overseas investments between 2008 and 2013 that led to losses, the country's top auditor said on Wednesday, without specifying the size of the loss.

Investors counting on property boom despite house price warning

Global investors are betting on a substantial property boom despite warnings that housing in many countries is already overvalued.

No clash between ECB and IMF on extra steps to boost inflation: Benoit Coeure

LUXEMBOURG: There is no disagreement between the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund on the possibility of additional steps to boost euro zone inflation, in case the current steps are ineffective, ECB executive board member Benoit Coeure said.

EU's Rehn says reforms should precede more time for deficit cuts

(Reuters) - European governments should first get structural reforms under way and only afterwards expect to be granted more time to reduce their budget deficits to within European Union limits, EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn said.

UK retail sales fall despite World Cup boost to sports shops

UK retail sales fell for the first time since January last month despite World Cup fever which drove higher sales of football shirts.

China's sovereign fund mismanaged some investment: audit

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's $575-billion sovereign wealth fund mismanaged some of its overseas investments between 2008 and 2013 that led to losses, the country's top auditor said on Wednesday, without specifying the size of the loss.

Fed insists economy can withstand stimulus cut despite rising prices

The Federal Reserve insisted that the US economy is strong enough to withstand a cut to its stimulus program, despite being forced once again to cut its growth forecasts.

Mideast Funds to Boost Property Buys Fivefold Over Decade

Middle East investors, including some of the world’s largest sovereign-wealth funds, may increase commercial real estate purchases to $180 billion over the next decade, broker CBRE Group projected.

China sets ownership limits on Hong Kong-Shanghai cross-border stock investment

SHANGHAI, June 16 (Reuters) - China has specified ownership limits for overseas investors buying shares in companies listed in China via the recently announced Hong Kong-Shanghai cross-border stock investment pilot programme.

Households braced for first rise in borrowing costs in more than five years

Households are bracing themselves for the first rise in borrowing costs since the Bank of England cut interest rates to a record low more than five years ago.

China Sovereign Fund Managing Director Said to Plan Fund

Yu Bin, a former managing director at China’s sovereign wealth fund, plans to start a fund focused on Greater China equities, said three people with knowledge of the matter.

U.S. retail sales rise less than expected in May

(Reuters) - U.S. retail sales rose less than expected in May, but that probably will do little to change expectations of an acceleration in growth this quarter as data for the prior months was revised higher.

Morgan Stanley Turns Aussie Bull to Predict Parity: Currencies

Morgan Stanley is breaking from the pack, becoming the first forecaster to predict Australia’s dollar will regain parity with its U.S. counterpart.

Qatar Central Bank Adds 7 Year T-Bond to Extend Yield Curve

Qatar’s central bank has begun selling seven-year debt to extend the yield curve it’s developing for local companies to issue debt, the governor said.

Investors look to China and U.S. after ECB fights deflation risk

(Reuters) - This week's light calendar gives investors room to digest the European Central Bank's radical moves to avert deflation and look beyond U.S. data which, in more normal times, might imply higher interest rates.

Overheated housing market worries British finance executives

Leading British banks, hedge funds and asset managers are increasingly worried about the impact of the housing market on Britain's financial system, according to the Bank of England.

Saudi Arabia to discuss proposal for sovereign wealth fund

DUBAI, June 8 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's Shura Council, an influential advisory body to the government, will discuss a proposal for the country to establish a sovereign wealth fund that would invest some of its vast oil earnings, local media reported.

U.S. Credit Rating Affirmed by S&P With Stable Outlook

The U.S.’s AA+ credit rating was affirmed by Standard & Poor’s, which cited the resiliency and diversity of the economy, almost three years after downgrading the nation for the first time amid political wrangling.

Foreign investment in government bonds surges to 82 percent of limit

Reuters Market Eye - Foreign investors have exhausted 82.47 percent of the available limit of $20 billion in government bonds, according to data published by National Securities Depository Ltd on Thursday.

China confident it has done enough to keep growth above 7 percent

(Reuters) - China has stepped up efforts to stop quarterly economic growth falling towards 7 percent and thinks it has been successful for now after preliminary signs that a rapid slowdown has been arrested, sources involved in policy discussions say.

Singapore's GIC buys stake in anti-plagiarism software maker

Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC and a US-based private equity firm will acquire anti-plagiarism software maker iParadigms for $752 million, the firms said Tuesday.

Top 500 hedge funds control 90 pct of industry assets - Preqin

LONDON (Reuters) - The 505 largest hedge fund managers in the world, each with more than $1 billion under management, control 90 percent of the industry's assets, research by Preqin showed on Thursday.

Further ECB easing to have little to no money market impact: poll

(Reuters) - If the European Central Bank lives up to expectations for interest rate cuts and a liquidity operation on Thursday, such moves would only lower near-term money market rates slightly, a Reuters poll found on Monday.

Retirement: How to invest wisely to live comfortably

Financial advisers often encourage people to save aggressively for retirement and invest in stocks for the long term, but many people struggle with retirement saving and investing.

Mozambique mulls sovereign wealth fund

Maputo (AFP) - Mineral-rich Mozambique is considering the establishment of a sovereign wealth fund, the country's finance minister said Thursday.