
Standard Chartered bank is being fined US$1.1bn for violating US sanctions against Iran and over inadequate financial crime controls The penalties, imposed in connection with a range of different investigations in the US and the UK, all date back to before 2014.

Saudi Aramco is planning to borrow US$12 billion in its debut bond sale as the oil giant pulls off one of the most oversubscribed debt deals of all time. Investor orders for the dollar bonds reached an excess of US$100 billion at the peak on Tuesday, according to market experts

The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday cut its global economic growth forecasts for 2019 and warned growth could slow further due to trade tensions and a potentially disorderly British exit from the European Union.

China on Tuesday said it would push further to open its economy and deepen ties with the EU, which has grown increasingly wary of Beijing's influence in Europe. EU Council president Donald Tusk hailed Beijing's new commitments at an EU-China summit in Brussels as a breakthrough with both sides committed to globalization and pursuing international rules.

Newly-installed World Bank President David Malpass spent his first day at the global lender on Tuesday hammering home the message that the most urgent issue facing the bank is addressing global poverty. President Donald Trump's controversial pick to lead the bank appeared eager to distance himself from his past attacks on the institution and stressed the support he has received from developing nations and from staff.

British Prime Minister Theresa May toured Berlin and Paris on Tuesday to plead for an extension to the deadline for Brexit, which looked increasingly likely to be approved by EU leaders at a crunch meeting in Brussels.

Latin American stocks were flat on Monday, partly subdued by delays in important pension reform in Brazil, while currencies in the region rose against a weak dollar but Argentina's peso hovered around record-low levels on political uncertainty and the highest country risk so far this year.

The Gibraltar Parliament unanimously passed legislation to enable Gibraltar to vote in the European election in May should this become necessary because of delays to Brexit. The parliament approved an amendment to primary legislation to ensure the electoral register for the European Union election is ready despite the short window of time available.

British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday started a last-minute flurry of European diplomacy that includes visits to Paris and Berlin as she prepares for a make-or-break Brexit summit. Still struggling to get her EU divorce deal through parliament, May is hoping European Union leaders will agree on Wednesday to delay Brexit for a second time to stop Britain crashing out of the bloc two days later.

Money transfers to poor and developing countries hit a fresh record in 2018 and should become their largest source of external financing this year, the World Bank said on Monday. But many banks and money transfer operators charged too much, cutting into the gains of migration, the bank said in a statement.