GOLDMAN SACHS

That was how Richard Fuld greeted a Reuters reporter who had tracked him down to his country house in a bucolic setting beside a river and amid tree-covered slopes in Ketchum, Idaho last Friday.

Asia's initial public offering market is booming as economies inch out of recession and equity markets improve, setting the scene for the region to emerge as the world's top spot for firms rushing to raise money.

Top executives from some of the world's leading banks will gather for a conference in Frankfurt this week as lenders seek to rebuild trust in the global financial system almost a year after Lehman Brothers collapsed.

Independent oil exploration company Cobalt International Energy Inc became the latest private equity-owned company to seek to raise money in an initial public offering, according to a regulatory filing on Friday.

As shares of bailed-out banks bottomed out earlier this year, stock options were awarded to their top executives, setting them up for millions of dollars in profit as prices rebounded, according to a report released on Wednesday.

Reports that Bank of America Corp (BAC.N) is in talks with the U.S. Treasury to repay $20 billion of its federal bailout was met by the market with joy -- and a little skepticism.

Fortress Investment Group, Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Pacific Alliance Group are among bidders for failed Japanese apartment developer Joint Corp in a deal that could be worth up to 80 billion yen ($861 million), two people with direct knowledge of the deal said.

SAN FRANCISCO - Shares in DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc rose 6.5 percent on Monday on speculation it may become a takeover target, after Walt Disney Co said it will buy Marvel Entertainment in the year's biggest media deal.

Two real estate investment trusts filed for initial public offerings on Friday, bringing to eight the number of applications since early July by REITs created by real estate companies seeking to take advantage of the distressed commercial property market.

Some investors are shrugging their shoulders at reports that Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N) gives special trading advice and early access to analyst research to a select few clients, saying the practice is commonplace in the industry.

Private equity firm TPG has hired three banks to lead manage an IPO of Australia's top department store Myer Group, sources with direct knowledge told Reuters on Tuesday, valuing Myer at about $2.1 billion. The IPO, the biggest initial public offer on the Australian stock exchange since the credit crisis took hold two years ago, underscores a return of confidence in the market and heralds a wave of new listings.

U.S. securities regulators are examining weekly meetings at Goldman Sachs Group Inc , where research analysts offer tips to traders and then to big clients, the Wall Street Journal reported on its website.

Stock index futures indicated a stronger start on Wall Street on Monday, extending the previous session's gains after stronger U.S. housing data and optimistic comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke lifted sentiment.

U.S. stock index futures indicated a stronger start on Wall Street on Monday, extending the previous session's gains after stronger U.S. housing data and optimistic comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke lifted sentiment.

U.S. stock index futures indicated a stronger start on Wall Street Monday, extending the previous session's gains after stronger U.S. housing data and optimistic comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke lifted sentiment.

Dow Jones & Co Inc has been talking to potential buyers about the sale of its stock-market indexing business, which includes the Dow Jones Industrial Average , The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

Morgan Stanley is planning to hire as many as 400 traders and salespeople, a hiring spree that comes as the firm tries to dig its way out of three straight quarters of losses.

Stocks rose on Thursday after a rebound in Chinese equities and a surprise expansion in U.S. regional manufacturing overshadowed rising jobless claims.

Stock index futures edged higher on Thursday following a rally in Chinese equities and ahead of data expected to show a dip in jobless claims after a surprise increase in the prior period.

Stocks slipped on Wednesday, led by the industrial, materials and financial sectors, as a drop in Chinese shares prompted renewed selling in global equity markets on fears stock prices have outpaced the economic recovery.