Swiss bank Julius Baer to pay $79.7 mln in FIFA corruption settlement

The Swiss bank Julius Baer (BAER.S)will pay $79.7 million in a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice after being implicated in a sprawling corruption probe surrounding FIFA, the world’s soccer governing body.
U.S. drivers to get hit by soaring pump prices over Memorial Day holiday

U.S. motorists will see the highest gasoline prices in seven years when they hit the roads this Memorial Day weekend, the traditional start of the summer driving season, as fuel demand surges alongside coronavirus vaccination rates.
Salesforce raises annual revenue, profit outlook

Salesforce.com Inc (CRM.N) raised its full-year forecast for revenue as well as profit, and reported quarterly revenue that beat analysts’ estimates, following increased demand for its cloud-based software due to a pandemic-led shift to remote work.
Linking Asia’s financial markets will help the region respond to the next crisis

Just as past crises triggered international and regional financial cooperation, the pandemic offers an opportunity to collectively improve financial resilience and soundness.
The little engine that could, and the oil giant that couldn’t

Last December, when a week-old hedge fund named Engine No. 1 challenged Exxon Mobil to change its ways, laughter echoed through Wall Street circles, from the fund’s name that recalled a famous children’s book to its tiny, then-$40 million stake in what was once the world’s largest publicly traded company.
U.S. weekly jobless claims drop sharply; second-quarter GDP growth unrevised at 6.4 pct

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits dropped more than expected last week as layoffs subsided, with companies desperate for workers to meet surging demand unleashed by a rapidly reopening economy.
EXCLUSIVE China bars banks from selling commodities-linked products to retail buyers -sources

China’s banking regulator has asked lenders to stop selling investment products linked to commodities futures to mom-and-pop buyers, three people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, to curb investment losses amid volatile commodity prices.
Analysis: If not now, when? COVID-19 spurs global push to tackle wealth gap

Governments worldwide, facing strong evidence that fallout from COVID-19 has widened wealth gaps as well as wrecking economies, have expanded social safety nets and in some cases begun exploring bolder ways of tackling the imbalances.
What you need to know about the coronavirus right now

Here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus right now.
Asian shares step back from 2-wk highs, dollar firm

Asian shares retreated from two-week highs on Thursday and China started on the backfoot on fears central banks were closer to considering winding back their emergency stimulus while the dollar held at a one-week top.