Sponsored by BNP Paribas

Since their tumble in early February platinum and palladium prices have been extremely strong. From a low of $1,475/oz on 5 February, platinum gained steadily to hit $1,624/oz by 16 March, a gain of 10% and just shy of the $1,627/oz it fixed at in January. Palladium did even better, rising from a low of $395/oz on 5 February to hit $475/oz by 8 March, 20% up from its low, and beating its January high - indeed it's the highest fix for palladium since the same $475/oz seen on 20 June 2008.

Global stocks rose to seven week highs on Friday led by bank shares after talks on U.S. banking reform collapsed, while speculation the Bank of Japan may soon ease monetary policy weighed on the yen.

HSBC has this week launched the 2 billion pound ($3.1 billion) sale of its UK rolling stock leasing company as it builds its balance sheet by shedding non-core assets.

World stocks hit 2-1/2 week highs on Monday and oil reached a six-week peak as investors became increasingly confident about the outlook for the U.S. economic recovery.

Societe Generale expects results to recover in 2010 with lower bad risk write-downs after posting weak fourth-quarter results and rattling markets last month with a profit warning.

Societe Generale expects results to recover in 2010 with lower bad risk write-downs after it rattled markets last month with a toxic asset warning.

A New York state manufacturing gauge published on Tuesday hit its highest level since October this month, while sentiment among home builders rose more than expected, signaling continued improvement in the U.S. economy.

A regional U.S. manufacturing gauge published Monday hit its highest level since October, but also suggested a rebound in that sector might run out of momentum.

A gauge of manufacturing in New York state rose in February as inventories jumped, the New York Federal Reserve said in a report on Tuesday.

Bharti Airtel is in exclusive talks to buy most of Kuwaiti telecom group Zain's African business, the firm's third attempt at gaining a foothold in a continent that offers a last opportunity for major subscriber growth.

European leaders struck a deal to provide financial aid to Greece on Thursday, in an unprecedented move to stave off a broader crisis in the 16-nation bloc that shares the euro single currency.

European leaders sought to prop up Greece with words of support at a summit on Thursday but failed to offer concrete proposals to help the country tackle its debt crisis, prompting a negative market reaction.

Honda Motor Co said it would recall another 440,000 cars around the world for faulty airbags, as rival Toyota Motor Corp faced further probes over its largest-ever safety crisis.

Oil rose above $74 a barrel on Wednesday, bouncing from earlier losses, as the euro extended gains against the dollar on hopes for a bailout for Greece.

U.S. stocks erased morning gains to close lower on Monday as the basic materials and financial sector weighed down the market.

Kraft Foods Inc on Thursday launched a 4-part, $9.5 billion debt sale to help finance its acquisition of British confectioner Cadbury, IFR reported.

New orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods edged higher last month and the number of workers filing applications for jobless aid fell last week, indicating the economy remains on a steady recovery path.

Global stock markets fell again on Wednesday, hitting their lowest in two months as investors fretted about a monetary squeeze from central banks around the world and also the impact of tightening U.S. banking regulation.

Home prices slipped in November and were softer than expected in the latest sign that a rebound in the U.S. housing market is still tenuous, according to Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller indexes on Tuesday.

U.S. home prices slipped in November and were softer than expected in the latest sign that a rebound in the U.S. housing market is still tenuous, according to Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller indexes on Tuesday.

Sales of previously owned U.S. homes suffered a record drop last month as the boost from a popular tax credit waned, raising doubts the housing market recovery can be sustained without government support.

Sales of previously owned homes suffered a record drop last month as the boost from a popular tax credit waned, raising doubts the housing market recovery can be sustained without government support.

Chinese authorities ordered some big banks to curb lending for the rest of January, intensifying their efforts to prevent the world's third-largest economy from overheating.

U.S. consumer prices rose modestly last month, while industrial output rose on a cold snap, suggesting the economy was growing but not generating a level of inflation that would spur the Federal Reserve to roll back from its stimulative policies.

A crisis tax proposed by the Obama administration would cut substantially into bank earnings across Europe and could sidetrack the sector's recovery, analysts and industry officials said Friday.

U.S. consumer prices rose modestly last month while a cold snap lifted industrial output, suggesting the economy was growing but not generating enough inflation to trouble the Federal Reserve.

Greece launched an ambitious three-year plan to slash its huge budget deficit on Thursday but failed to convince financial markets it can deliver on the cuts and put a swift end to its fiscal crisis.

The European Central Bank kept benchmark interest rates unchanged at a record low of 1.0 percent on Thursday with the ECB expected to remain in a holding pattern given uneven growth and low inflation.

LONDON (Reuters) - The euro hit a one-month high against the dollar on Wednesday while higher-yielding currencies trimmed losses from the previous day as investors concluded China's surprise monetary tightening would not derail growth.