Economic sanctions spare Western-tied Russian fund

WASHINGTON (AP) — Western business connections are complicating efforts to bring economic sanctions against executives and companies closely aligned with Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle.

China funds cut suggested equity allocations as hopes for recovery evaporate: Reuters poll

(Reuters) - Chinese fund managers will cut the proportion of their portfolios invested in stocks over the next three months, following July's upward trend, as hopes for a quick economic recovery falter, a Reuters poll shows.

Weaker corporate tax receipts worsen U.S. budget picture

(Reuters) - The U.S. budget picture will likely worsen this year as companies wait to see what actions Congress will take on taxes in coming months, a report from the Congressional Budget Office showed on Wednesday.

Singapore's GIC in final talks to buy Tokyo building for $1.6 bln -sources

TOKYO, Aug 25 (Reuters) - Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC Pte is in final talks to buy a Tokyo office tower for about 170 billion yen ($1.6 billion), three people with direct knowledge of the deal said, in what would be Japan's biggest property transaction since the global financial crisis.

Zimbabwe economy: Investments plunging, says bank governor

Foreign investment in Zimbabwe more than halved in the first six months of the year, the country's central bank chief John Mangudya has said.

Foreign investors flock to India to meet debt issuers as outlook turns rosier

MUMBAI: A host of foreign investors and funds will be meeting corporate leaders in India next month, the first time since the global financial crisis, signifying changing perception about the country's growth potential.

Home and Jobs Data Suggests Momentum

WASHINGTON — Sales of existing homes in the United States rose in July to a 10-month high, and the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell last week, signaling strength in the economy early in the third quarter.

Canada Stocks Fall as Oil Drops, Royal Bank Slips After Earnings

Canadian stocks fell a second day, retreating from a record, as energy producers slumped with crude posting the longest losing streak in nine months and investors weighed earnings from Royal Bank of Canada.

Mum's the word on soaring Swedish household debt as poll nears

(Reuters) - Johan and Alejandra are the kind of Swedes the IMF has been warning about - piling up debt to keep up with an ever-rising property market and fund a lifestyle of travel, maids and nights out.

As Fed debates rate path, focus on jobs data stirs its own debate

(Reuters) - The Federal Reserve's intensive focus on a wide range of labor market data to guide policy-making is driving a wedge between its core decision-makers and others who feel the central bank is straying from traditional guideposts.

Traders Keep Calm and Carry on Through BOE’s Rate Debate

Confused by the seemingly contradictory signals from the Bank of England on interest rates?

London hedge fund executives see pay packets halve as bonuses plummet

Hedge fund executives in London saw bonuses plummet last year, resulting in their pay packets being less than half of what they were 12 months ago.

Goldman Halts Efforts to End $1B Libya Fund Lawsuit

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS) stopped its attempt to dispose a $1billion lawsuit filed by the Libyan Investment Authority (:LIA), a sovereign wealth fund at London’s High Court.

What hedge funds are buying

The 50 largest funds snapped up shares of big health care names such as Allergan (AGN), Actavis (ACT), and Covidien (COV) in the second quarter in an effort to capitalize on the wave of mergers and acquisitions in the sector, according to data from FactSet.

CVC Looks To Cement Deal With Sovereign Funds

The private equity firm CVC Capital Partners is joining forces with some of the world's biggest sovereign wealth funds to bid for £4bn of cement assets that would make it a major player in the building materials sector.

London housing boom shows signs of cooling as sales stumble

The London housing market stumbled in July as sales dropped and inquiries fell at their fastest rate since the onset of the credit crisis, in a further sign that the UK property market is cooling.

U.S. retail sales pause, seen rebounding in months ahead

(Reuters) - U.S. retail sales unexpectedly stalled in July, pointing to some loss of momentum in the economy early in the third quarter.

Hedge Fund Myriad Increased Herbalife Stake in Second Quarter

Myriad Asset Management Ltd., the Hong Kong-based hedge fund led by a former Asia head of Highbridge Capital Management LLC, raised its stake in Herbalife Ltd. (HLF) in the second quarter, according to a filing.

UK retailers say sales rose in July, driven by furniture

(Reuters) - British retail sales growth rose in July, driven by an upturn in furniture spending and other non-food purchases, according to figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) on Tuesday.

Traders brace for research crackdown as easy money dries up

(Reuters) - Regulatory pressure to undo the traditional way brokers sell research alongside share dealing is alarming traders in Europe, who fear a further drop in business and more cost-cutting in an already tough environment.

Apollo Pushing Short Credit Fund Amid ’Danger Signs’

Leon Black’s Apollo (APO) Global Management LLC is raising a new fund to bet against corporate credit as concerns grow over deteriorating debt markets.

Singapore economy expands 3.5% in first half: PM

Singapore's trade-sensitive economy grew 3.5 percent in the first half and was on track for 2.5-3.5 percent expansion this year, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Friday.

European Bond Traders Suffer High-Yield Anxiety on Losses

Warning signals are starting to flash for Europe’s biggest money managers as a selloff in the U.S. high-yield bond market shows signs of crossing the Atlantic.

Foreigners Expanding Australian Property Options, Invesco Says

Foreign investors, who traditionally focus on Sydney and Melbourne office buildings, are turning to properties in other cities amid rising competition for assets, according to Invesco Ltd.

U.S. Treasury to conduct test bond buyback operations

(Reuters) - The United States will buy back debt in the coming quarter for the first time since 2002 to make sure its computer infrastructure is adequate for any future buyback operations, the U.S. Treasury said on Wednesday.

Kazakhstan Grapples With Reform of Sovereign-Wealth Fund

When Astana launched its sovereign-wealth fund in 2008, authorities asserted that Samruk-Kazyna would modernize Kazakhstan’s economy and help attract foreign investors.

UK bank lending lags G7, more help needed: survey

(Reuters) - British bank lending to the corporate sector lagged lending in other Group of Seven leading economies last year, despite government attempts to boost the availability of credit, a survey showed on Monday.

Institutions shift to exchange-traded funds as futures grow costly

Institutional investors, like endowments and sovereign wealth funds, are trading some of their stock futures contracts for exchange-traded funds, an action they say saves them money and effort while providing comparable returns.

RBS warns of risks of foreign exchange inquiry and Scottish independence

Royal Bank of Scotland has warned that the ongoing investigation into potential manipulation of the foreign exchange markets could hit profits.

August anxiety: Stocks slumping again

The calendar may have changed to August but stocks have resumed their late July tumble. The market opened flat Friday in response to another healthy jobs report, but by midday the Dow was down more than 100 points.

Ukraine conflict: New EU sanctions hit top Putin aides

A former judo sparring partner of Vladimir Putin is among three of the Russian president's close aides on a new EU sanctions list.