EXCLUSIVE Biden considers giving refiners relief from U.S. biofuel laws, sources say

President Joe Biden’s administration, under pressure from labor unions and U.S. senators including from his home state of Delaware, is considering ways to provide relief to U.S. oil refiners from biofuel blending mandates, three sources familiar with the matter said.
European shares hit record high, bond yields fall as inflation fears ease

Shares gained on Friday and bond yields fell from the United States to Europe as investors shrugged off rising U.S. consumer prices, even as fears of longer-term inflation lingered.
BlackRock becomes first to operate wholly owned China mutual fund biz

BlackRock Inc (BLK.N) has become the first global asset manager licensed to start a wholly owned onshore mutual fund business in China, as the government opens up the country’s $3.5 trillion mutual fund industry.
G7 eyes allocating $100 bln from IMF funds to COVID-ravaged nations-US

The United States and other Group of Seven nations are considering reallocating $100 billion from the International Monetary Fund’s warchest to help countries struggling most to cope with the COVID-19 crisis, the White House said.
Analysis: As EU preps debut recovery bond, a reality check for “safe asset” hopes

As the European Union readies bond sales for its pioneering COVID-19 recovery fund, the scale and duration of the borrowing programme may disappoint those who had visualised last year’s deal for pooled debt as Europe’s Hamiltonian moment.
EXCLUSIVE ECB tells Deutsche Bank to find new chairman fast – sources

The European Central Bank has asked Deutsche Bank a number of times in recent months to name a successor to chairman Paul Achleitner as the end of his term nears, two people with knowledge of the matter said.
U.S. trade czar Tai says upbeat on prospects for ‘intense’ trade talks with EU

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said on Thursday she will accompany President Joe Biden to Brussels next week for “intense negotiations” to try to resolve trade disputes over aircraft subsidies and steel and aluminum.
Analysis: G7 global tax plan may hit corporate titans unevenly

An agreement by wealthy nations aimed at squeezing more tax out of large multinational companies could hit some firms hard while leaving others – including some of the most frequent targets of lawmakers’ ire – relatively unscathed, according to a Reuters analysis.
U.S. House panel approves $547 bln infrastructure boost

A U.S. House committee early on Thursday voted 38 to 26 to authorize $547 billion in additional spending over five years on surface transportation, a plan that would mostly go toward fixing existing U.S. roads and bridges and increase funding for passenger rail and transit.
U.S. household wealth jumps to record $136.9 trillion, Fed says

U.S. household wealth jumped to a record $136.9 trillion at the end of March, a report from the Federal Reserve showed on Thursday, suggesting plenty of dry tinder for economic growth as the coronavirus pandemic recedes and the nation reopens.