GOLDMAN SACHS

Some of the top stories making the first half of this day.

Wilmar International, the world's largest listed palm oil company, has hired three banks to handle what sources say could be a $3 billion flotation of its China business.

The European Central Bank kept euro zone interest rates at 1.0 percent on Thursday, bolstering expectations they will stay there well into next year, and said it would start buying bonds next week.

U.S. stock futures were modestly higher on Tuesday ahead of a new round of data that may give investors insight into the state of the recession-hit economy on the last day of the second quarter.

U.S. stock futures were flat on Tuesday ahead of a batch of new data that may give investors insight into the state of the recession-hit economy on the last day of the second quarter.

American International Group Inc , the insurer rescued by a series of federal bailouts, is set to pad out its shrinking board on Tuesday when a new slate of directors stands for election at its annual meeting.

U.S. commercial banks reported record trading revenue in the first quarter of 2009, benefiting from wide trading margins and gains from interest rate products, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said on Friday.

The Federal Reserve's baby steps this week toward scaling back some of its emergency market lifelines underscore just how far off an interest rate hike actually is.

As hard-hit Western banks and hedge funds scramble to sell their Asian loans and bonds, one newcomer expects to pick up these choice assets at rarely seen discounts.

Dealmakers saw business pick up again in the second quarter as they helped companies raise cash in capital markets, but lucrative mergers and acquisitions (M&A) languished.

Social networking Internet service LinkedIn said on Wednesday that interim President Jeff Weiner will take over as chief executive officer, six months after the company's co-founder stepped into the role.

Exelon Inc, Wisconsin Energy Corp., Goldman Sachs and First Solar Inc were among the stocks with links to the clean energy industry which appealed to investors on Wednesday.

Warren Buffett said on Wednesday that the U.S. economy has no bounce and will take time to recover, but there is no risk of deflation to push it further into despair.

Goldfinger is back in the market and has a new focus -- Asia.

The Federal Reserve is expected to emphasize the U.S. economy's fragile state in a policy statement on Wednesday as it talks down expectations for a rate hike this year and holds fire on expanding asset purchases.

The Federal Reserve began a two-day meeting on Tuesday at which it is expected to dampen expectations for interest rate hikes this year, while holding steady on its plans for asset purchases.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc is on pace to make record bonus payouts after a robust first half, the Guardian newspaper reported on Sunday.

U.S. financial markets entered a new era of good feelings in March on the back of sentiment surveys pointing to a rebound just around the corner, but hard economic data has yet to back it up.

JPMorgan Chase & Co said it expects to record a $1.1 billion charge in its second-quarter results after returning $25 billion in taxpayer funds to the U.S. government.

Stocks rose on Friday as Microsoft lifted technology shares following positive comments from Goldman Sachs, and bets on a recovering global economy.

Now that Goldman Sachs Group Inc has settled its $10 billion debt with the U.S. taxpayer, investors are wondering about the Wall Street firm's other looming presence -- Warren Buffett.