MERRILL LYNCH

China's inflation pulled back in August from a three-year high, underlining expectations that price pressures have peaked and the central bank can hold off on further tightening of monetary policy in the face of a global economic slowdown.

Bank of America executives have discussed slashing roughly 40,000 jobs during the first wave of a restructuring, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing people familiar with the plans.

The bank’s chief executive Stuart Gulliver warned in August that HSBC will cut up to 30,000 jobs around the world by 2013.

The U.S. Department of Energy said it has offered $344 million in loan aid for a solar power program at military bases that could double the number of the country's residential rooftop solar arrays.

U.S. Treasury debt prices fell on Wednesday as traders booked profits from a recent rally and higher stocks undermined the safe-haven value of U.S. government debt.

Robert Kelly, the chief executive of Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (NYSE: BK) was recently fired reportedly because of his “abrasive” personality and management style.

The Federal Reserve has asked Bank of America Corp to show what measures it could take if business conditions worsen, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the situation.

The chief executive of Bank of New York Mellon Corp. Robert Kelly was fired on Wednesday reportedly because of his “abrasive” personality and management style.

India's full service airlines, buffeted by high fuel costs and intense competition, face new headwinds on their lucrative international routes as budget carriers launch services with rock-bottom fares.

Top Bank of America Corp lawyers knew as early as January that American International Group Inc was prepared to sue the bank for more than $10 billion, seven months before the lawsuit was filed, according to sources familiar with the matter.

China's central bankers have found a new way of keeping banks from lending too much, a step Beijing hopes will help it tackle the country's persistent inflation woes.

This year's heady bout of risk aversion on financial markets has ratcheted up demand for gold, U.S. Treasuries and the Swiss franc to levels that suggest they may no longer be the safe havens they are billed as.

Billionaire Warren Buffett would invest $5 billion in Bank of America Corp. (NYSE:BAC), expressing his biggest vote of confidence in the banking giant.

Legendary investor Warren Buffett made a phone call to Bank of America CEO Brian T. Moynihan on Aug. 24 and offered to invest a staggering $5 billion in the bank. The Bank of America shares had been in doldrums amid questions over its liquidity situation and rumors that it would need a massive capital injection.

This year's heady bout of risk aversion on financial markets has ratcheted up demand for gold, U.S. Treasuries and the Swiss franc to levels that suggest they may no longer be the safe havens they are claimed to be.

The U.S. wealth management industry is shrinking, losing legions of advisers, just as demand for their services is on the rise.

Warren Buffett showed again this week that his name and money is enough to give a struggling company instant credibility in the market. But the legendary investor also demonstrated his canny command of that reputation means that such deals can immediately generate profits.

China's factory sector is likely to slow slightly for a second consecutive month in August as sluggish overseas demand saps new orders, HSBC's China Flash PMI showed on Tuesday.

Economic growth is stagnating in Europe and cooling slightly in China, according to surveys of business activity released on Tuesday, fuelling concern about the risk of a global slump as Western governments struggle to cope with their debt problems.

Here are some of the largest global banks that are planning significant job cuts.

The company expects to record a restructuring charge of about 550 million Swiss Francs (U.S. $700 million) in connection with the cuts.