MARKETS / FINANCE

MF Global unloaded hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of securities to Goldman Sachs in the days leading up to its collapse, according to two former MF Global employees with direct knowledge of the transactions. But it did not immediately receive payment from its clearing firm and lender, JPMorgan Chase & Co , one of the sources said.

Stocks fell on Wednesday after a sharp rally in the previous session as investors set their sights again on Europe's debt problems.

Euro zone inflation dropped below 3 percent for the first time in three months in December, kicking off a slowdown economists expect will revive deflation fears and tempt the ECB to cut rates below 1 percent for the first time in its history.

India has made hallmarking gold jewelery mandatory, a senior government minister said on Wednesday, a move that could boost demand in the world's biggest gold market by taking care of quality worries.

Swiss central bank head Philipp Hildebrand came under pressure on Wednesday following revelations of sensitively timed currency trades by his wife and the sacking of a whistleblower who passed details to the lawyer of a political adversary.

Yahoo is poised to name PayPal President Scott Thompson as its chief executive after firing former CEO Carol Bartz in September, website AllThingsD reported, citing sources close to the situation.

The German and French governments have both come to accept that the era when leading euro zone countries enjoyed the very best sovereign debt ratings is nearing an end, but a downgrade could shake Paris far harder than it does Berlin.

Wall Street was set to open lower on Wednesday after a sharp market rally in the previous session, as investors focused again on Europe's debt problems.

Gold demand in India, the world's top consumer of the metal, was moderate on Wednesday as some jewellers chose to restock despite a price rise, dealers said Wednesday.

The Federal Reserve, in a move that could push back expectations of when near-zero U.S. interest rates will rise, will begin publishing its policymakers' forecasts for borrowing costs.

The euro could rebound in the near-term despite the problems affecting continental Europe, as investors are overly bearish on the currency, investor Jim Rogers said on Tuesday.

Stock index futures fell on Wednesday after a sharp market rally in the previous session, as investors focused again on Europe's debt problems.

The largest shareholders of Middle East jeweller Damas International have appointed a financial adviser ahead of a potential sale of some of their shares, the firm said in a regulatory filing on Wednesday.

The PIMCO Total Return Fund, the world's largest bond fund, had $1.4 billion in outflows in December, according to fund analytics firm Morningstar.

Euro zone inflation eased from last year's peaks of 3.0 percent in December, the first sign of a fall in price growth this year that analysts expect will create room for more interest rate cuts to help the weakening economy.

U.S. stock index futures fell on Wednesday after a sharp market rally in the previous session, as investors focused again on Europe's debt problems.

Stock index futures fell on Wednesday after a sharp market rally in the previous session, as investors focused again on Europe's debt problems.

Gold prices opened higher Wednesday after opening the new year with a 2 percent rally on expectations of increasing Asian demand and support from the price of crude oil.

India has made hallmarking gold jewellery mandatory, a senior government minister said on Wednesday, a move that could boost demand in the world's biggest gold market by taking care of quality worries.

Nerves ahead of a German debt auction helped put European stock markets in negative territory early on Wednesday and halted a surge for the euro after its biggest one-day gain in nearly two months.

Asian stocks rose on Wednesday as investor risk appetite returned after upbeat U.S. and European economic data improved the global growth outlook, but the euro's gains were short-lived due to deep-set worries over the European debt crisis.

Small businesses created 55,000 jobs in December and increased working hours for employees, further evidence the labor market was strengthening.

Business software maker Progress Software Corp forecast first-quarter earnings below analyst expectations, as some of its customers continue to delay investments amid macroeconomic uncertainties, sending its shares down as much as 9 percent in trading after the bell.

Prosecutors accused three Swiss bankers on Tuesday of conspiring with wealthy U.S. taxpayers to hide more than $1.2 billion in assets from tax authorities, and sources briefed on the matter said the three worked for Wegelin & Co, one of Switzerland's oldest private banks.

A New York state judge made it easier for the bond insurer MBIA Inc to pursue its $1.4 billion lawsuit accusing Bank of America Corp's Countrywide Financial unit of fraudulently inducing it to insure risky mortgage-backed securities.

U.S. prosecutors accused three Swiss bankers on Tuesday of conspiring with wealthy U.S. taxpayers to hide more than $1.2 billion in assets from tax authorities, and sources briefed on the matter said the three worked for Wegelin & Co, one of Switzerland's oldest private banks.

The world's largest bond fund had $1.4 billion in outflows in December, according to fund analytics firm Morningstar.

Groupon Inc shares fell more than 6 percent on Tuesday on concern the company may not have as many daily deals to offer due to some merchants pulling back.

Rambus Inc raised its fourth-quarter revenue outlook, despite losing a major lawsuit late last year, sending its shares up 10 percent in early trading Tuesday.