• BCE buyers finalize funding for $34 billion buyout
  TORONTO (Reuters) - The buyers of telecoms company BCE Inc are sticking to the agreed C$34.8-billion ($34.1 billion) purchase price and have finalized the funding for the deal to go ahead, the company said on Friday.

  

  

  
• Merrill nears deal to sell Bloomberg stake: report
  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Merrill Lynch & Co may sell its 20 percent stake in financial news and data provider Bloomberg LP to a blind trust controlled by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, The New York Post reported on Friday.

  

  

  
• French bank body fines SocGen $6 million over Kerviel
  PARIS (Reuters) - France's Banking Commission on Friday fined Societe Generale 4 million euros ($6.3 million) for serious breaches in internal controls revealed by the French bank's 4.9 billion euro rogue trading loss.

  

  

  
• World stocks fall on financial shares, oil drops
  SAO PAULO (Reuters) - World stocks edged lower on Friday, getting no relief from a decline in crude prices as concerns of further banking write-downs weighed on financial shares.

  

  

  
• Tax credit to save UBS from hefty loss
  ZURICH (Reuters) - Battered Swiss bank UBS said on Friday it should be saved from another hefty loss in the second quarter by a large tax credit, giving a much-needed though short-lived boost to its share price.

  

  

  

Coverage includes breaking news, market reports, newsmaker interviews and key company profiles.

• Japan nuclear accident impact
  July 31 - Japan's killer earthquake left its biggest nuclear power company facing financial losses, supply questions, and demands for greater safety.
• Asia up as US fears ease
  July 31 - Asian stocks rose on Tuesday after a rebound on Wall Street, with the focus on earnings as credit fears eased.
• Transformers hit Japan
  Jul. 23 - The movie "Transformers" comes to Tokyo this week, a homecoming of sorts for the toy-robot film that earned over $260 million in three weeks in North America.
• Zoellick heads to Asia
  Jul. 26 - Newly appointed World Bank President Robert Zoellick will travel to Asia next week.
• Market's bumpy ride continues
  Jul. 30 - European markets experienced a up and down start to the week on Monday, while HSBC's results surprised.