A round-up of the key stories across the specialist financial media, including the French finance minister claiming his country's economy is in better shape than Britain’s
Baroin stokes war of words with Britain
French finance minister François Baroin said on Friday the economy was in better shape than Britain’s, despite the latest official estimates that the economy has slipped into recession and will recover only weakly next year.
Fitch Ratings has cut its long-term ratings for seven major banks in Europe and the US, warning that big financial institutions “are particularly sensitive to the increased challenges the financial markets face”.
Dealmakers could find themselves with even more free time on their hands next year if Europe's fiscal roadmap fails to convince investors and stabilize global markets.
Citi's Japan units were sanctioned yet again by financial regulators, this time for hoisting inappropriate products on customers and trying to influence short-term interbank interest rates.
