Islamic bond market set to grow: experts

Dubai (AFP) - Investments in Islamic bonds known as "sukuk" are set to grow worldwide as financial centres vie to tap an increasing appetite for Muslim-friendly debt, experts and officials said Tuesday.

Ed Balls told to take clearer line on budget deficit

Shadow cabinet members are privately expressing concern that Ed Balls needs to adopt a more clearly defined position on the budget deficit after recent statements that have left many of them confused.

Ruble Weakens to Record on Concern Russia to Expedite Free Float

The ruble weakened to a record for the fifth day on concern Russia will quicken its move to a free float after more than $20 billion of currency interventions this month failed to halt the depreciation.

EU Stress Test Shows How Capital Rules Give Room to Hide

The European Union’s toughest-ever stress test was meant to leave banks with nowhere to hide. The results show how the bloc’s capital rules got in the way.

China's auto market growth may halve to 7 percent this year: industry body head

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Growth in China's auto market, the world's biggest, will halve to 7 percent this year weighed down by a slowing economy, the head of an industry body said on Saturday.

ECB may struggle to buy enough corporate bonds

(Reuters) - Any extension of the European Central Bank's asset-purchase scheme to include company debt risks running into a familiar problem - the ECB may not being able to buy enough of them to make a difference.

Cyprus GDP Upgrade Boosts Bailout Exit Plans

A European Union accounting change has improved Cyprus’s public-finance outlook more than any other euro-zone nation, raising the prospects it will exit a bailout program ahead of schedule and sell bonds this year.