INVESTMENT

Global equities edged higher on Wednesday, led by banks after a report that global banking regulators are eyeing delaying the implementation of new capital rules, while gold and crude prices were also in demand.

The Australian dollar fell and bonds jumped on Wednesday on decreased chances of an interest rate rise in February, while Japanese bank shares surged on a report of a possible delay in new global bank capital rules.

Gold prices were flat at around $1,125 per ounce on Wednesday ahead of the conclusion of the U.S. Federal Reserve's two-day policy meeting, which could provide clues about the timing of interest rate moves.

So Shooters, today's big news: Citigroup to pay back $20 billion in TARP to government. Why stop so soon the magic IV drip known as TARP funding (which had just been so graciously extended by Treasury)? Well, it's not because the company is back in good health. They just want to keep ahead of the talent-poaching with the zombies doing jumping jacks - the likes of Goldman Sachs.

A U.S. grand jury on Tuesday indicted Galleon hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam and co-defendant Danielle Chiesi on charges of securities fraud and conspiracy in an insider trading case involving employees of some of America's best-known companies.

Bankrupt holding company Washington Mutual Inc asked a federal court to compel the U.S. Federal Reserve, U.S. Treasury and more than a dozen others to turn over documents relating to its collapse in 2008.

Swiss bank Credit Suisse said it was likely to pay a hefty $536 million to settle a U.S. probe into payments made between 2002 and 2007 involving parties that are subject to U.S. economic sanctions.

Morgan Stanley named a company veteran to run its U.S. prime brokerage business, which offers services ranging from clearing trades to lending money to hedge funds.

U.S. securities regulators may reduce the number of investment advisers who would have to undergo an annual surprise audit under a proposal to ensure that their clients' assets are safe, two sources familiar with the plan said on Tuesday.

A report says that 38 percent of all U.S. stock trading is now done by firms that have naked sponsored access to markets, the controversial trading practice said to imperil the marketplace, and which faces a regulatory crackdown.

Corrects spelling of Penson Financial in 12th paragraph of December 14 story

Refrigerated warehouse company Americold Realty Trust filed for an initial public offering worth $690 million on Monday.

Terreno Realty Corp on Monday filed for an initial public offering in a move that would let it profit from the economic recession and tight credit.

The U.S. Federal Reserve's executive compensation reforms are not significantly burdensome for Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs as the two Wall Street giants largely met the new standards even prior to the credit crisis, Sanford C Bernstein said.

Insurer Genworth Financial Inc, battered by losses from the downturn in the U.S. housing market, said its U.S. mortgage insurance business will not turn an operating profit until mid-2011.

DLF Assets, owned by the founders of India's top real estate firm DLF (DLF.BO), is reviving plans for a Singapore listing of its real estate investment trust, encouraged by the global equities rally, three sources said.

UBS AG will not sue its former bosses after risky bets on subprime mortgages and a strategy of helping U.S. clients dodge taxes by hiding money in secret accounts brought the Swiss bank to its knees.

Wells Fargo & Co said on Monday it would buy Prudential Financial Inc's minority stake in retail brokerage joint venture Wells Fargo Advisors for cash, instead of cash and stock as it planned earlier.

UBS Bosses Free; Airline Woes 2010; AIG's Personal Struggles

U.S. stock index futures slipped on Tuesday a day after stocks hit a 14-month high and ahead of the start of a policy-setting Federal Reserve meeting.

The euro hit a 2-1/2 month low against a broadly firmer dollar on Tuesday while world stocks slipped as concerns grew about the European banking sector and the fiscal health of Greece.