European banks face toughest stress tests yet

European banks must show they can survive simultaneous routs in bonds, property and stocks in the toughest test to date by regulators aiming to restore confidence in an industry that had to be rescued by taxpayers in the financial crisis.

Bank of England must limit house price booms, says Rics

The Bank of England should use its powers to limit house price increases to 5% a year to "take the froth out" of price booms, a surveyors' group says.

Analysis: China upturn underscores need to rebalance economy

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's recovery from its longest slowdown in growth since the global financial crisis is being driven by the two forces posing the biggest risks to the economy's increasingly urgent need to rebalance - investment and property.

UK housing market stays afloat, but don't expect miracles

All things considered, house prices proved remarkably resilient during 2012. The Nationwide building society has reported that prices fell by 1% during the year but given that the UK suffered its first double-dip recession since the 1970s, the fall could have been a lot bigger.

Analysis: Elusive China equity returns now face growth slowdown

LONDON (Reuters) - Investors who have endured two decades of miserable stock market returns in China may have to wait a while yet for their bets to pay off as turbo-charged economic growth runs out of steam and a new economic model starts to evolve.