BERLIN (Dow Jones)–German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday efforts to rescue the banking sector, hit hard by the financial crisis, have worked out.

“We fundamentally succeeded in rescuing banks,” Merkel said at a conference organized by the Initiative New Social Market Economy, or INSM.

However, she added that there still needs to be a “timely sensible” restructuring of the country’s state-owned Landesbanken.

“We are still working on this problem,” Merkel said. “The Landesbanken must restructure.”

The chancellor also said the Basel II rules, which govern the amount of capital banks need to hold against potential market losses, must be changed to avoid any negative impact on economic growth.

Merkel said she doesn’t expect domestic demand to replace exports as the main driver of Germany’s economy.

The chancellor also sharply criticized the recent liquidity policy of the U.S. Federal Reserve, calling for a return to what she called “sensibility.”

She said the independence of the European Central Bank “must be retained and things which other central banks are doing, must be reduced.”

“I regard with great skepticism whatever powers for example the Fed has and also the Bank of England,” Merkel said. “We must together return to an independent central bank policy and to a policy of reason, otherwise we will be in exactly the same situation in 10 years time.”

She added that an international financial market regulatory framework is needed.

-By Andrea Thomas, Dow Jones Newswires; +49-(0)30-2888-4126; andrea.thomas@dowjones.com
Source

1. Merkel holds anti-crisis summit

   BERLIN – GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel, under fire over her reaction to the financial crisis, called together business leaders, ministers and experts on Sunday to discuss ways of escaping...

2. SNAPSHOT – Financial Crisis – 1330 GMT

   - New U.S. housing starts unexpectedly rebounded in February, surging 22.2 percent, according to data that provided a rare dose of good news for the recession-hit economy. - Germany’s...

3. Corporate spies clean up – The financial crisis means boom times for spooks-for-hire

   The financial crisis means boom times for spooks-for-hire. By Barney Gimbel, writer Last Updated: December 8, 2008: 11:16 AM ET NEW YORK (Fortune) — If James Bond’s “License to...

4. Chinese premier discusses financial crisis with World Bank president

   ·Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with World Bank President Robert Zoellick in Beijing Tuesday. ·Wen said China will focus on expanding domestic demand to stimulate economic growth. ·Zoellick said...

5. Homeowners refinance, put savings in piggy banks

   When mortgage rates dropped to the lowest levels in almost a year, Warren Zeger seized the opportunity to slash $720 off his monthly mortgage payment by refinancing his home...

6. Leaked Document Shows Fed Preparing For Next Mortgage Crisis

   The rising defaults on commercial loans could lead to another banking crisis, although the Fed doesn’t seem to be ready to admit the problem. The significant risk is held...

7. New Book – The Finance Crisis and Rescue: What Went Wrong? Why? What Lessons Can Be Learned?

   TORONTO, Nov 25, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ — A timely new book examining this year’s financial crisis is the second title to be published by Rotman/UTP Publishing, an Imprint...

8. FEATURE-Broadway finds show fundraising tougher amid crisis

   By Michelle Nichols NEW YORK, Jan 12 (Reuters) – Broadway producers are finding it tough to attract investors for new productions as the global financial crisis begins to take...

Financial crisis

- New U.S. housing starts unexpectedly rebounded in February, surging 22.2 percent, according to data that provided a rare dose of good news for the recession-hit economy.

- Germany’s economy offered unexpected signs of optimism. A monthly poll by the ZEW economic institute in Europe’s biggest economy showed analyst and investor sentiment rising to -3.5 in March from -5.8 in February

- U.S. Fed seen holding rates, avoiding dramatic moves

- BOJ Governor Masaaki Shirakawa says a new $10.2 billion loan programme to help banks is aimed at those facing big risks from falling stock prices.

- U.S. Treasury plans to modify AIG (AIG.N) aid to recoup bonuses

- Ireland facing difficult recession which is worse than in the rest of the world, but its membership of the euro zone will help to mitigate the downturn – Finance Minister Brian Lenihan.

- Royal Dutch Shell says market conditions remain uncertain.

- Nokia to slash 1,700 jobs globally over the coming few months because of falling demand.

MARKETS

- World stocks pare early losses after Germany’s ZEW survey suggested economic sentiment was more resilient than thought but a fall in oil kept selling pressure strong.

- U.S. light crude slips nearly 1 percent to below $47 a barrel while spot gold tumbles to around $917 per ounce from $922.55 in New York on Monday.

- A surprise rebound in new U.S. housing drove the dollar higher against its global peers
Source

1. Chinese premier discusses financial crisis with World Bank president

   ·Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with World Bank President Robert Zoellick in Beijing Tuesday. ·Wen said China will focus on expanding domestic demand to stimulate economic growth. ·Zoellick said...

2. Corporate spies clean up – The financial crisis means boom times for spooks-for-hire

   The financial crisis means boom times for spooks-for-hire. By Barney Gimbel, writer Last Updated: December 8, 2008: 11:16 AM ET NEW YORK (Fortune) — If James Bond’s “License to...

3. Merkel holds anti-crisis summit

   BERLIN – GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel, under fire over her reaction to the financial crisis, called together business leaders, ministers and experts on Sunday to discuss ways of escaping...

4. UPDATE:Germany’s Merkel:Succeeded In Rescuing Banks In Crisis

   BERLIN (Dow Jones)–German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday efforts to rescue the banking sector, hit hard by the financial crisis, have worked out. “We fundamentally succeeded in rescuing banks,”...

5. New Book – The Finance Crisis and Rescue: What Went Wrong? Why? What Lessons Can Be Learned?

   TORONTO, Nov 25, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ — A timely new book examining this year’s financial crisis is the second title to be published by Rotman/UTP Publishing, an Imprint...

6. FEATURE-Broadway finds show fundraising tougher amid crisis

   By Michelle Nichols NEW YORK, Jan 12 (Reuters) – Broadway producers are finding it tough to attract investors for new productions as the global financial crisis begins to take...

BERLIN – GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel, under fire over her reaction to the financial crisis, called together business leaders, ministers and experts on Sunday to discuss ways of escaping the international recession.

‘No concrete measure was decided,’ Economy Minister Michael Glos said after the six-hour meeting finished.

The goal of the meeting had been to reflect on possible measures, he added, with the government aiming to decide on specific actions by the end of January.

Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck said everything would be done to avoid job losses.

The time had come for ‘us to take joint responsibility, as the government cannot handle the economic situation alone’, Ms Merkel told a press conference before the meeting.

Ms Merkel has made defending German jobs a top priority but increasing numbers have been lost in Europe’s biggest economy in recent weeks.

The criticism of the government has particularly hurt as Ms Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) prepare for a legislative election in 2009. The CDU is in a coalition with the Social Democrats (SPD).

German economic experts and officials have said her 31 billion euro (40 billion dollar) economic stimulus is not enough.

Other European Union members have also pressured for Merkel to spend more.

Quoting government sources, the weekly Wirtschaftswoche reported the government is preparing a second 30-billion-euro economic plan that will include investment and fiscal incentives.

The package is not expected to be announced until the end of January, giving Merkel time to prepare an anti-crisis strategy within the government, the weekly said.

Ms Merkel is to meet state and local government leaders this week.

Der Spiegel magazine said in its latest edition that the government now expects the economy to shrink by two per cent in 2009. The official government forecast is for a fall of up to one per cent. — AFP
Source

1. UPDATE:Germany’s Merkel:Succeeded In Rescuing Banks In Crisis

   BERLIN (Dow Jones)–German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday efforts to rescue the banking sector, hit hard by the financial crisis, have worked out. “We fundamentally succeeded in rescuing banks,”...

2. Chinese premier discusses financial crisis with World Bank president

   ·Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with World Bank President Robert Zoellick in Beijing Tuesday. ·Wen said China will focus on expanding domestic demand to stimulate economic growth. ·Zoellick said...

3. SNAPSHOT – Financial Crisis – 1330 GMT

   - New U.S. housing starts unexpectedly rebounded in February, surging 22.2 percent, according to data that provided a rare dose of good news for the recession-hit economy. - Germany’s...

4. FEATURE-Broadway finds show fundraising tougher amid crisis

   By Michelle Nichols NEW YORK, Jan 12 (Reuters) – Broadway producers are finding it tough to attract investors for new productions as the global financial crisis begins to take...

5. Corporate spies clean up – The financial crisis means boom times for spooks-for-hire

   The financial crisis means boom times for spooks-for-hire. By Barney Gimbel, writer Last Updated: December 8, 2008: 11:16 AM ET NEW YORK (Fortune) — If James Bond’s “License to...

6. New Book – The Finance Crisis and Rescue: What Went Wrong? Why? What Lessons Can Be Learned?

   TORONTO, Nov 25, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ — A timely new book examining this year’s financial crisis is the second title to be published by Rotman/UTP Publishing, an Imprint...

7. Do You Need Money to Tide Over a Crisis?

   Money crisis is the most difficult situation for a person when it comes to meet unexpected expenses and you require instant cash. To overcome such financial crisis, it is...

8. Leaked Document Shows Fed Preparing For Next Mortgage Crisis

   The rising defaults on commercial loans could lead to another banking crisis, although the Fed doesn’t seem to be ready to admit the problem. The significant risk is held...

The financial crisis means boom times for spooks-for-hire.

By Barney Gimbel, writer
Last Updated: December 8, 2008: 11:16 AM ET

NEW YORK (Fortune) — If James Bond’s “License to Kill” gets revoked, he’d have no problem finding work as a corporate spy. To the short list of sectors that stand to gain from the financial crisis, add corporate intelligence firms.

They are seeing a dramatic uptick in business from a surge of banks, private equity firms, and hedge funds that need to make sure those pesky multimillion-dollar investments they made when times were good will hold up.

Firms like Control Risks, a London-based risk consultancy staffed by ex-CIA agents, and its rival, New York-based Kroll say they have seen a 20% jump in new business over the past two months. Together the two firms control the majority of the market.

These spook outfits have long carved out a lucrative business investigating corporate fraud, performing due diligence, or simply ferreting out the things not on a balance sheet – be they a company’s shady associates in Brazil or corrupt investors in Texas.

But in the recent heady times, some fast-moving investment outlets cut corners.

Now they are hoping to save face – and money – before precarious deals fall apart altogether. “The tolerance for failure has diminished,” says Jim Brooks, who heads North American operations for Control Risks.

Already, spies-for-hire are finding a couple of embarrassing flubs.

Consider the more than $300 million that one international bank lent to a sketchy Russian magnate (we’d tell you who it was, but then we’d have to kill you). When he stopped paying his bills, the bank brought in Control Risks to find out where the money had gone. (They found the Russian could have funneled money out of the country through various, seemingly unrelated shell companies.)

Another big client, a Washington-based law firm, hired it to investigate a wealthy, if not highly leveraged, Bolivian who had been claiming poverty while secretly moving his assets to places like Poland, Switzerland and Sylvania.

Tactics range from mundane document searches to clandestine interviews with former employees, customers, or government officials. Much of the work is happening overseas, where public records don’t always exist.

For the Bond wannabes, the new business isn’t adding to the bottom line so much as replacing the business they lost when pre-deal due diligence went out the window. Still, they expect the boom times to continue.

“Companies are only beginning to deal with the situation,” says Bob Brenner, who heads Kroll’s business intelligence and investigations practice in the U.S.

It may not match the martini swilling and jet setting the real Bond gets to do, but it pays the bills, which in these times is exotic-sounding enough.
Source

1. SNAPSHOT – Financial Crisis – 1330 GMT

   - New U.S. housing starts unexpectedly rebounded in February, surging 22.2 percent, according to data that provided a rare dose of good news for the recession-hit economy. - Germany’s...

2. Chinese premier discusses financial crisis with World Bank president

   ·Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with World Bank President Robert Zoellick in Beijing Tuesday. ·Wen said China will focus on expanding domestic demand to stimulate economic growth. ·Zoellick said...

3. Best Tip To Avoid Tax Burden From You – Hire an Accounting Firm!

   If you are hunting for an accounting firm to relieve your own tax burden, selecting the right one is crucial. Handling your taxes the right way is valuable for...

4. Merkel holds anti-crisis summit

   BERLIN – GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel, under fire over her reaction to the financial crisis, called together business leaders, ministers and experts on Sunday to discuss ways of escaping...

5. New Book – The Finance Crisis and Rescue: What Went Wrong? Why? What Lessons Can Be Learned?

   TORONTO, Nov 25, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ — A timely new book examining this year’s financial crisis is the second title to be published by Rotman/UTP Publishing, an Imprint...

6. Businesses recognise value of interims in hard times

   Businesses in the UK are waking up to the fact that interim managers and other freelance professionals will play an increasingly important role in the nation’s economic recovery.Politicians, however,...

7. UPDATE:Germany’s Merkel:Succeeded In Rescuing Banks In Crisis

   BERLIN (Dow Jones)–German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday efforts to rescue the banking sector, hit hard by the financial crisis, have worked out. “We fundamentally succeeded in rescuing banks,”...

8. Logo Design Services Can Change the Fortune

   Have you ever thought about first impression? Obviously you did because most of the people do. Not only the people but also any products or companies need a good...

9. FEATURE-Broadway finds show fundraising tougher amid crisis

   By Michelle Nichols NEW YORK, Jan 12 (Reuters) – Broadway producers are finding it tough to attract investors for new productions as the global financial crisis begins to take...

10. Michigan prepares for next financial challenge

    For many Detroiters, sighs of relief Friday on hearing of the federal auto loans quickly gave way to an agonized realization of just how painful the restructuring ahead will...