Again, Beijing Raises Banks' Reserve Ratio

BEIJING -- In its first move since officially shifting to a tight monetary policy last week, China's central bank said it would raise the share of deposits that banks must keep on reserve for the 10th time this year to help cool the economy.

The increase in the required reserve ratio, which will rise by a full percentage point, could signal an acceleration in Beijing's efforts to bring the country's high inflation rate, and the threat of economic overheating, under control following a key meeting. The Central Economic Work meeting, which laid out economic policy priorities for 2008, ended Wednesday.

Profit Slump Fuels Recession Fears

Corporate profits are being hit by both the slowing economy and credit-market turmoil, sharpening fear of a recession.

UBS Gets Investors, Takes Write-Downs

UBS said Singapore's foreign-reserves fund and another investor injected $11.5 billion as part of a broader move to strengthen capital as the Swiss bank announced a further $10 billion in write-downs on subprime holdings. 5:12 a.m.

Wall Street

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Fund-Raising Brokers Reshape Campaigns The outsourcing of campaign fund raising to consultants has emerged as a major force in national politics. But no parallel system has evolved to make sure the cash is clean, raising dangers of tainted money finding its way into campaigns. • Fundraiser Hsu Is Indicted on Fraud Charges • Vote: What's the best way to clean up campaign finance? Political Lines Redrawn Over Iran Rifts surfaced between the U.S. and world powers over Iran. China indicated it would oppose new economic sanctions in light of a U.S. report that Tehran halted its nuclear-weapons program in 2003. • Democrats Settle for Gentle Debate • Resetting the Debate on Iran? | Report summary • Washington Wire: Questions Flummox Bush | Transcript Luxurious Digs on Frigid Oil Sands In Canada, riches are being pulled out of the Alberta oil sands like cash from an ATM. The biggest hurdle is finding enough skilled workers in remote areas, leading oil companies to compete with luxurious accommodations and lavish perks. • Video: Luring Oil Workers to Canada Musharraf Taps Maverick Partner Musharraf's struggle to stay in power has an unlikely ally: a maverick group once hunted down by Pakistan's army that now controls Karachi, Pakistan's biggest city. Productivity Growth Is Set For an Upward Revision The reading of third-quarter productivity growth is forecast to be revised upward -- to a 6.2% annual rate from 4.9% -- because of the adjustment in the quarter's GDP. Unit labor costs, as a result, will be down more. Labor Department, 8:30 a.m. EST.

MARKETPLACE

Helium Is in Short Supply Helium has become scarce amid increasing demand and glitches at facilities where it is produced, leading to a doubling of prices for some users and fewer supplies for others. Can New Tower Put Kowloon on the Map? When Hong Kong's International Commerce Center opens for business this month in Kowloon, it will change the face of a commercial-property market that has boomed along with China's rising financial might. Chinese Bloggers Test 'Mental Firewall' Some of the smartest thinkers about the Internet in China believe the biggest hurdle to free speech there isn't the government firewall, but self-censorship. Cracks in Producers' United Front The major media companies at the center of the writers' strike have increasingly divergent agendas, and the fate of the talks could depend on that dynamic.

MONEY & INVESTING

Temasek Anchors New China Fund Singapore's Temasek is providing half of the funding for a new $2 billion, private-equity fund set up by Goldman's China partner. How BlackRock Planned to Rescue Fund Florida accepted BlackRock's recovery plan for the state's troubled investment fund. • Heard on the Street: Blackstone's Worries Old and New With Blackstone, Worries Old and New A small investment in Financial Guaranty Insurance four years ago is adding to the woes weighing on Blackstone's share price. Stocks Decline On Brokerage Concerns The Dow industrials fell 65.84 points to 13248.73 amid worries about brokerage-firm earnings. Bond prices rose. Making Sense of Puzzling Short-Rates Credit was supposed to flow easier in December. It hasn't happened yet.

PERSONAL JOURNAL

Tips for a Scam-Free Holiday Online shopping is an easy way to shop for sales and avoid crowds at the mall. It is also an easy way to get ripped off. But a little research and a few basic tools can limit your vulnerability to scams and fake e-commerce sites Borrowers Tap Mortgages of Last Resort "Hard-money mortgages" -- those with higher interest rates and fees -- were once thought to be last resort for strapped borrowers, but now they are attracting a larger, more-affluent group of consumers. Web Shopping: New Perks and Risks PayPal and other payment services are ramping up consumer incentives during the holiday season in an effort to turn users into regulars. 'Juno' Comes of Age With Charm "Juno" is a comedy of crisp, mordant wit and quietly radiating warmth, as well as a coming-of-age story with a lovely twist -- you can't always spot the best candidates for maturity -- says Joe Morgenstern. (Trailer) Funds That Can Help You Retire Many retirees dislike the complexity and high fees of immediate-variable annuities, and it's creating an opportunity for fund companies to design income-generating products aimed at baby boomers leaving the work force.

Deutsche reconsidering Virgin's N.Rock bid: paper

Deutsche Bank DBKGN.DE is threatening to abandon plans to back Virgin Group's bid for Northern Rock , according to the Sunday Telegraph newspaper.
Northern Rock last week named Richard Branson's Virgin as its preferred bidder, as Virgin said it expected to repay Northern Rock's emergency loans from the Bank of England within three years.
Northern Rock is estimated to have borrowed up to 29 billion pounds ($60 billion) from the Bank of England (BoE) since it was forced to seek emergency loans from the central bank in mid-September when it was hit by a funding crisis.
Deutsche is one of three banks talking to Virgin about providing 15 billion pounds to repay the BoE.
Sources familiar with the matter have said in the past week that financing has yet to be finalized.
But the newspaper's sources said Deutsche now had "serious issues" with Virgin's takeover proposals, and was concerned that Virgin had issued "disinformation" on its level of involvement.
A Deutsche spokesman said the bank was continuing to talk to Virgin, as well as the BoE, Treasury and Financial Services Authority.
A Virgin spokesman said: "The consortium is working with its bankers this weekend and early next week to hammer out final details of a financial package."
J.C. Flowers, the U.S. buyout group founded by former Goldman Sachs partner Chris Flowers, raised the stakes on Friday by offering to improve its bid but also warning it would walk away if the government wouldn't talk with it. The Telegraph also said Northern Rock's biggest shareholder, Jon Wood of SRM Global, was preparing a rescue plan, based around a rights issue that he would underwrite himself.
The Observer newspaper said Jonathan Bloomer, former boss of UK insurance giant Prudential, had been picked to head a bid by U.S. private equity house Cerberus.
Olivant, an investment group led by Luqman Arnold, former head of Abbey National, is widely expected to formalise an offer this week.