Jan 27 (Reuters) – Citigroup on Tuesday announced a series of leadership changes across its corporate and investment banking divisions as CEO Jane Fraser steps up efforts to sharpen the bank’s competitiveness against Wall Street rivals. Veterans of the industry Jason Rekate and John Chirico will take on the roles of global chairs for corporate…

HOUSTON, Jan 26 (Reuters) – Trading houses have begun making preparations to load and export Venezuelan liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as part of a 50-million-barrel oil supply deal between Caracas and Washington, according to two sources and a shipping document seen by Reuters on Monday. Traders Vitol and Trafigura earlier this month were granted the…

By Uditha Jayasinghe COLOMBO, Jan 26 (Reuters) – Sri Lanka’s central bank is expected to maintain its key interest rate at 7.75% on Wednesday, a Reuters poll found, as an International Monetary Fund delegation reviews the sixth tranche of a crucial $2.9 billion package. The poll of a dozen economists unanimously forecast no change to…

By Chuck Mikolajczak NEW YORK, Jan 26 (Reuters) – Global stocks advanced for a fourth straight session on Monday as investors awaited earnings from a bevy of U.S. megacaps while the yen strengthened against the dollar as investors looked for any signs of intervention in the Japanese currency.  In addition, gold advanced to top $5,100…

WASHINGTON, Jan 26 (Reuters) – A U.S. aircraft carrier and supporting warships have arrived in the Middle East, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday, expanding President Donald Trump’s capabilities to defend U.S. forces, or potentially take military action against Iran. The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and several guided-missile destroyers have crossed into the…

By Philip Blenkinsop BRUSSELS, Jan 26 (Reuters) – The European Parliament has put off until next week a decision on whether to resume work on the EU’s trade deal with the United States, which it had suspended in protest at President Donald Trump’s demands to acquire Greenland and threats of tariffs. The parliament’s trade committee had…

WASHINGTON, Jan 23 (Reuters) – U.S. consumer sentiment improved across the board in January, though concerns about high prices and the labor market lingered, a survey showed on Friday. The University of Michigan’s Surveys of Consumers said its Consumer Sentiment Index increased to a final reading of 56.4 this month, from an earlier estimate of…

By Philip Blenkinsop BRUSSELS, Jan 21 (Reuters) – EU lawmakers voted on Wednesday to challenge the European Union’s contentious free trade agreement with South America in the bloc’s top court, a move that could delay the deal by two years and potentially derail it.  The European Union signed its largest-ever trade pact with Mercosur members…

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 21 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said he has interviewed several strong candidates for Federal Reserve chair, but complained that nominees tend to change once they take office. “Everyone that I interviewed is great. Everyone could do, I think, a fantastic job. Problem is they change once they get the job,”…

By Doyinsola Oladipo and Sabrina Valle Jan 22 (Reuters) – Spirit Airlines has drawn fresh interest from a potential buyer, with investment firm Castlelake entering talks to acquire the bankrupt carrier, after an offer in November from rival Frontier Group Holdings was deemed unviable, according to four people familiar with the matter.  While the Castlelake…