05/16/2008 11:02 PM
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Fannie Mae relaxes loan down-payment requirements
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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fannie Mae, the largest U.S. home
funding source, is setting a single national standard for down
payments on mortgages it buys, including areas where home
prices are falling, in an effort to stimulate the housing
market.

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05/16/2008 11:02 PM
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OFHEO's Lockhart sees pent-up mortgage demand
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CHICAGO (Reuters) - A new policy on mortgage down payment
requirements from Fannie Mae is "sound," and could help
unleash pent-up demand, James Lockhart, director of the Office
of Federal Housing Enterprise, said on Friday.

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05/16/2008 04:01 PM
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FDIC sees another wave of U.S. credit stress coming
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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp said on Friday that another wave of U.S. credit stress was coming, involving non-mortgage loans.

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05/16/2008 11:02 PM
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Citi mulls options for key German business
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FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Citigroup is mulling strategic
options for its retail bank in Germany, the embattled U.S. bank
said on Friday, sending its first public signal that the
centrepiece of its European business may be up for sale.

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05/16/2008 11:02 PM
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Florida lifts suspension of Allstate license
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MIAMI (Reuters) - Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin
McCarty said on Friday he was lifting a suspension on insurer
Allstate Corp issuing new policies in the state after
the company stated it had complied with requests from his
office for documents.

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05/16/2008 11:02 PM
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Credit Suisse CEO cautions on short-term markets
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GENEVA (Reuters) - The chief executive of Credit Suisse
warned on Friday of short-term dangers ahead in
financial markets but said he was optimistic about his own
bank's outlook.

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05/16/2008 09:55 AM
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SMFG posts big rebound, forecasts modest growth
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TOKYO (Reuters) - Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group
reported a threefold increase in fourth-quarter profit,
rebounding from massive losses at its consumer finance unit a
year earlier, and it forecast modest growth ahead.

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05/16/2008 11:02 PM
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Baloise Q1 volume up 6.7 pct, payout claims lower
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ZURICH (Reuters) - Swiss insurer Baloise reported
a 6.7 percent rise in business for the first quarter on
Thursday and lower payouts from insurance claims.

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05/16/2008 11:02 PM
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UniCredit agrees 747 mln euros branch sale
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MILAN (Reuters) - UniCredit SpA has sealed a 747
million euros ($1.2 billion) deal to sell 184 branches to a
group of domestic banks to meet antitrust demands over its
purchase of Capitalia, the Italian bank said on Friday.

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05/16/2008 11:02 PM
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MBIA, Ambac still at risk of downgrades-Barclays
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NEW YORK (Reuters) - MBIA Inc and Ambac Financial
Group's bond insurance arms remain at risk of
downgrade, though the loss of the top ratings would be unlikely
to create the systemic meltdown that was previously feared,
Barclays Capital said.

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