“This is a purely market-driven investment behavior. I would hope not to see this matter politicized,” the chief foreign exchange regulator, Yi Gang, said at a news conference. He was responding to a question about concerns among some American lawmakers that Beijings holdings of U.S. debt pose a political threat to the United States.
“China is a responsible investor and we fully believe such investments can be mutually beneficial,” Yi said.
Chinas $2.4 trillion in foreign reserves are the worlds largest and their management is closely watched by financial markets, especially as governments raise money for stimulus and struggling companies look for - - - - >

The Monetary Authority of Singapore and JTC Corp. — the government agency developing and marketing the project in Nepal Hill — quietly asked hedge fund managers in January to visit the districts so-called black-and-white bungalows, named for their white-washed walls and dark timber frames, according to a copy of the invitation obtained by Bloomberg News.
Singapore is seeking to attract firms planning to expand in the region as Asia leads the global economic recovery and the U.S. and Europe increase regulation. The proposed cluster follows tax and - - - - >

Merck, based in Darmstadt, will pay $107 a share in cash for Millipore, 50 percent above the closing price Feb. 19. That was the last day of trading before Bloomberg News reported that Millipore had received a takeover bid from Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. The purchase, announced Feb. 28, will give Merck a more profitable business after its drug unit had setbacks on the Erbitux cancer treatment and a multiple sclerosis pill.
Still, the price is so high that Mercks return on the investment will be less - - - - >

“Within a year or so, residential housing problems should largely be behind us,” Buffett wrote Feb. 27 in his annual letter to shareholders of his Berkshire Hathaway Inc. “Prices will remain far below bubble levels, of course, but for every seller or lender hurt by this there will be a buyer who benefits.”
The worst housing decline since the Great Depression has left one in five U.S. mortgage holders owing more than their houses are worth. Record foreclosures last year flooded a real estate market already glutted - - - - >

Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway Inc. delivered a 61 percent jump in net income because the value of its investments and derivatives rose sharply in 2009 after taking a beating the year before. But its businesses exposure to housing construction helped keep it from outperforming the S&P 500 for the first time since 2004.
Buffett used most of his letter, released Saturday, to reiterate the business basics that have made his company a juggernaut. But it did include a section about how corporations should manage risk. Buffett said CEOs and the boards that hired them should pay a steep price if their companies - - - - >

“Within a year or so, residential housing problems should largely be behind us,” Buffett wrote yesterday in his annual letter to the shareholders of his Berkshire Hathaway Inc. “Prices will remain far below bubble levels, of course, but for every seller or lender hurt by this there will be a buyer who benefits.”
The worst housing decline since the Great Depression has left one in five U.S. mortgage holders owing more than their houses are worth. Record foreclosures last year flooded a real estate market already glutted - - - - >

“Within a year or so, residential housing problems should largely be behind us,” Buffett wrote yesterday in his annual letter to the shareholders of his Berkshire Hathaway Inc. “Prices will remain far below bubble levels, of course, but for every seller or lender hurt by this there will be a buyer who benefits.”
The worst housing decline since the Great Depression has left one in five U.S. mortgage holders owing more than their houses are worth. Record foreclosures last year flooded a real estate market already glutted - - - - >

“We are aware of the FTCs inquiry into the proposed Simon acquisition of Prime Outlets and we are responding to its inquiries,” Louise Callagy, a spokeswoman for the San Francisco-based clothing retailer, said in a telephone interview yesterday. Gap has stores at outlets owned by both Simon and Prime.
Simon agreed in December to buy Prime Outlets from Lightstone Group for $2.33 billion including debt. The deal would the largest U.S. mall owner an additional 22 retail outlet centers, increasing its total to more than 60. Simon - - - - >

Allianz, which has a minority stake in the company that leases the U.S. citys parking meter operations, aims to double investments in assets such as infrastructure and wind energy as alternatives to equities. Allianz cut the ratio of stocks among its holdings after almost 9 billion euros ($12 billion) of impairments in 2008 and as European insurers face new rules.
The European Commissions Solvency II directive, set to take effect in 2012, is designed to align insurers capital requirements with the risk they take on. The rules - - - - >

The sale of the SUV brand with military roots to a Chinese heavy equipment maker has collapsed. GM said it would still hear offers for the company, but potential investors would have to move fast.
“In the early phases of the wind-down, well entertain offers and determine their viability, but that will have to happen in pretty short order,” said GM spokesman Nick Richards.
GM said Wednesday that its bid to sell Hummer to Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machines Co. fell through. The Chinese manufacturer said it failed to get clearance from regulators in Beijing within the proposed timeframe for the sale.
GM - - - - >