INVESTMENT

Credit Suisse (CSGN.VX), Banco Santander Brasil (SANB11.SA) and government-owned Caixa Economica Federal are raising nearly 2.9 billion reais ($1.7 billion) through a structured fund to finance corporate loans in Brazil, Valor Economico newspaper reported on Friday.

In the midst of this year's once-in-a-lifetime rally in corporate bonds, some investors already see the specter that rising interest rates in the future could destroy much of their gains.

U.S. stock index futures dipped on Friday, a day after the market logged its best percentage gain in three months, as investors await data that will shed light on consumer sentiment.

U.S. stock index futures dipped on Friday, a day after the market logged its best percentage gain in three months, as investors await data that will shed light on consumer sentiment.

U.S. stock index futures dipped on Friday, a day after the market logging its best percentage gain in three months, as investors await data that will shed light on consumer sentiment.

NYSE Euronext said on Friday it is selling a significant equity interest in its derivatives exchange NYSE Liffe U.S., as it posted a 28-percent drop in third-quarter earnings.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a slightly lower open on Wall Street on Friday following the previous session's sharp rally, with futures for the S&P 500 down 0.35 percent, Dow Jones futures down 0.17 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.09 percent at 6:10 a.m. EDT.

The ChiNext stock market , China's long-awaited Nasdaq-style second board, debuted on Friday with a speculative surge that more than doubled the price of all 28 stocks during intraday trade -- a good sign for companies lining up to list on China's stock markets.

The ChiNext stock market , China's long-awaited Nasdaq-style second board, debuted on Friday with a speculative surge that more than doubled the price of all its 28 stocks -- a good sign for firms lining up to list on China's main stock markets.

JP Morgan Chase & Co raised concerns about Galleon hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam and his associates as far back as 2001, the Financial Times reported, citing an internal company document seen by the newspaper.

US EQUTIES regained all of Wednesday's losses as risk tolerance jumped back into the markets after US 3rd quarter GDP beat expectations, in particular a downgrade released by Goldman Sachs earlier in the week.

European shares turned positive on Thursday after data showed the U.S. economy grew in the third quarter for the first time in a year as consumer spending and investment in new home-building rebounded.

* U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher opening on Wall Street on Thursday as investors take a breather following the previous session's sharp selloff ahead of key GDP figures and a flurry of corporate earnings.

U.S. stock index futures rose on Thursday ahead of data expected to show the economy grew in the third quarter, while jobless numbers and a round of corporate earnings were also on tap.

Asian shares fell sharply on Thursday after weak U.S. economic data rekindled investor worries about growth, while hedge funds sold risky assets, lifting the yen and supporting the dollar.

Hedge fund firm Galleon Group, whose founder has been charged with insider trading, paid $250 million to its Wall Street banks last year and in return received market information that other investors did not get, the Financial Times reported.

Hedge fund firm Galleon Group, whose founder has been charged with insider trading, paid $250 million to its Wall Street banks last year and in return received market information that other investors did not get, the Financial Times reported.

U.S. regulators are searching for ways to peer into the activities of high-frequency trading, which has blossomed in recent years and now accounts for at least 50 percent of all equity trading in the United States.

McKinsey & Co and Akamai Technologies Inc launched investigations on Wednesday into accusations by the U.S. government that some of their employees were linked to the Galleon Group insider-trading scandal.

Investors could be disappointed if they anticipate tons of money waiting to get back into the stock market, since cash on the sidelines is much less than estimated, Goldman Sachs analysts said.

GMAC Financial Services on Wednesday sold $2.9 billion in government-backed debt, ahead of a regulatory deadline next month that will test the company's capital levels and ability to absorb losses.