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BANK

Norway cuts key rate to fend off ‘turbulence’

Norway's central back cut its benchmark interest rate by half a point to 1.75 percent on Wednesday amid growing concerns over the impact of the eurozone debt crisis.

Norway cuts key rate to fend off 'turbulence'
Photo: Norges Bank

"The turbulence in financial markets has intensified and external growth is now expected to be clearly weaker, particularly in the euro area," said Jan F. Qvigstad, deputy governor of Norges Bank, in a statement.

"In order to dampen the impact on the Norwegian economy, the Executive Board has decided to lower the key policy rate."

On cutting its key rate for the first time since 2009, the central bank said the country's economy remained robust, driver mainly by petroleum investment, but that several indicators pointed to a slowdown in growth.

With the European banking systems and credit markets destabilized by the ongoing debt crisis, market funding had become "more expensive and less accessible for Norwegian banks."

“In order to guard against an economic setback and even lower inflation, we are of the view that a reduction in the key policy rate is now appropriate”, said Qvigstad.

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BANK

Deutsche Bank to pay $130m to settle US bribery probes

Deutsche Bank will pay $130 million to settle a foreign bribery probe and fraud charges in precious metals trading, US officials announced on Friday.

Deutsche Bank to pay $130m to settle US bribery probes
A woman walks past the offices of Deutsche Bank in London. Photo: Tolga Akmen / AFP
The bribery case relates to illegal payments and to false reporting of those sums on the bank's books and records between 2009 and 2016, the Department of Justice said in a press release.
   
The bank “knowingly and wilfully” kept false records after employees conspired with a Saudi consultant to facilitate bribe payments of over $1 million to a decision maker, the DOJ said.
   
In another case, the bank paid more than $3 million “without invoices” to an Abu Dhabi consultant “who lacked qualifications… other than his family relationship with the client decision maker,” the DOJ said.
   
In addition to criminal fines and payments of ill-gotten gains, Deutsche Bank agreed to cooperate with government investigators under a three-year deferred prosecution agreement.
 
   
In the commodities fraud case, Deutsche Bank metals traders in New York, Singapore and London between 2008 and 2013 placed fake trade orders to profit by deceiving other market participants, the DOJ said.
   
The agreement took into account Deutsche Bank's cooperation with the probes, DOJ said.
   
“Deutsche Bank engaged in a criminal scheme to conceal payments to so-called consultants worldwide who served as conduits for bribes to foreign officials and others so that they could unfairly obtain and retain lucrative business projects,” said Acting US Attorney Seth D. DuCharme of the Eastern District of New York.
   
“This office will continue to hold responsible financial institutions that operate in the United States and engage in practices to facilitate criminal activity in order to increase their bottom line.”
   
“We take responsibility for these past actions, which took place between 2008 and 2017,” said Deutsche Bank spokesperson Dan Hunter, adding that the company has taken “significant remedial actions” including hiring staff and upgrading technology to address the shortcomings.
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