Reuters: Financial Services and Real Estate

UPDATE 2-HSBC calls for faster banking reforms

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:02:23 GMT

* Bank slammed for compliance failings, aiding tax avoidance

UPDATE 2-ING's S.Korean unit sale attracts three bids after delay

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:52:43 GMT

(Adds Tong Yang and MBK's bids, seller's valuation of unit, Tong Yang's ranking)

European shares toil amid growth and stimulus worries

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:42:41 GMT

LONDON, May 24 (Reuters) - European shares fell for a second consecutive session on Friday, led by financials on concern over growth in Asia and the potential scaling back of U.S. monetary stimulus.

UPDATE 4-Raiffeisen CEO quits over offshore deals

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:34:53 GMT

* Step follows revelations about Singapore flat purchases

UPDATE 1-EU risks "too big to cooperate" bank supervision

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:28:43 GMT

BRUSSELS/LONDON, May 24 (Reuters) - The role of the European Banking Authority must be beefed up beyond current plans to ensure that regulation of Europe's banks does not fragment into two competing...

CORRECTED-Derivatives trade booms in wake of Japan stock slide

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:27:24 GMT

LONDON, May 24 (IFR) - Investors betting on a continuation of Japan's six-month runaway bull market suffered their biggest scare yet on Thursday as the Nikkei 225 lost more than 7% - its largest...

CORRECTED-Swings in Japan govt bonds could trigger sell-off

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:24:27 GMT

LONDON, May 24 (IFR) - Extreme volatility in the Japanese government bond market could trigger a sell-off on a par with what happened throughout the third quarter of 2003, when local banks and...

UPDATE 2-UK's Co-op Bank stops lending to new corporate clients

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:05:36 GMT

LONDON, May 24 (Reuters) - The Co-operative Bank has stopped offering loans to new business customers, part of measures designed to quell growing concerns over its capital position.

UPDATE 2-Swiss tax diplomat to quit as US, Europe talks heat up

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:36:55 GMT

ZURICH, May 24 (Reuters) - Switzerland's top tax diplomat will step down at the end of August, the finance ministry said on Friday, as talks with foreign governments eager to crack down on funds...

Severn Trent investors say would hold out for 23 stg/share bid

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:32:21 GMT

* Several top investors say would consider offer at 23 stg or more

UPDATE 2-Slovenia changes constitution to counter bailout risk

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:18:10 GMT

LJUBLJANA, May 24 (Reuters) - Slovenia's parliament voted on Friday to change the constitution to ensure governments run balanced budgets from 2015, part of economic reform efforts to ensure the euro...

UPDATE 1-Russian rail freight operators in merger talks -sources

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:14:54 GMT

MOSCOW, May 24 (Reuters) - The owners of rail freight operators Globaltrans and NefteTransService are in talks on a merger that would create a business with sales of $2.7 billion and a 10 percent...

INVESTMENT FOCUS-Dollar builds steam, unnerves emerging markets

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:07:23 GMT

LONDON, May 24 (Reuters) - As the dust settles on a volatile week, many strategists now sense a green light for a long-brewing multi-year rise of the U.S. dollar - with unnerving portents for...

INSIGHT-Luxury brands position for U.S. boom

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:00:00 GMT

* Influx of tourists will help as Obama reworks visa wait

UPDATE 2-U.S. tornado insured losses estimated at $2 bln-$5 bln

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:52:59 GMT

May 24 (Reuters) - Tornadoes that struck the United States from May 18 to May 20 caused between $2 billion to $5 billion of insured losses, disaster modeling company Eqecat said late Thursday.

RPT-REUTERS SUMMIT-Rating agencies alert to Argentina debt ruling, souring economy

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:51:46 GMT

BUENOS AIRES, May 24 (Reuters) - Argentina's dismal credit ratings might get a boost if U.S. courts rule in the country's favor in a long-running dispute with creditors over a 2002 default, but...

GLOBAL MARKETS-Stimulus fears haunt share markets, dollar weak

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:11:35 GMT

LONDON, May 24 (Reuters) - World share markets looked vulnerable to further falls on Friday, with brighter economic news from Europe doing little to encourage investors who are worried that central...

UPDATE 1-Kyobo Life bids for ING's S.Korean insurance business

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:39:38 GMT

SEOUL/HONG KONG, May 24 (Reuters) - Kyobo Life Insurance, South Korea's third-largest insurer, said on Friday it had made a bid for a controlling stake in ING's South Korean insurance unit, breathing...

EU risks "too big to cooperate" bank supervision

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:34:42 GMT

UPDATE 1-Italian firms tap debt market as bank lending dries up

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:34:21 GMT

* First time issuers coming to Italian corporate debt market

HSBC leads European shares lower in jittery trade

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:30:02 GMT

LONDON, May 24 (Reuters) - European shares edged lower on Friday, dragged down by heavyweight bank HSBC and some technical selling as key indexes tested support levels, igniting concerns about...

UPDATE 1-3i grows infrastructure arm with Barclays fund purchase

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:13:32 GMT

LONDON, May 24 (Reuters) - 3i Group PLC is to buy the European infrastructure fund management business of British bank Barclays as part of a drive to boost its fee income from public-private...

U.S. tornado insured losses estimated at $2-$5 bln-modeling firm

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:53:19 GMT

May 24 (Reuters) - Tornadoes that struck the United States from May 18 to May 20 caused anywhere from $2 billion to $5 billion in insured losses, disaster modeling company Eqecat said.

UPDATE 2-Dai-ichi expands in Southeast Asia with Panin Life deal -source

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:52:37 GMT

* Dai-ichi Life to pay around $300 mln for 40 pct stake - source

GLOBAL MARKETS-Shares steady but stimulus fears still present

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:38:55 GMT

LONDON, May 24 (Reuters) - World share markets looked vulnerable to further falls on Friday, with better economic news from Europe doing little to encourage investors who are worried that central...