
Morning all. Friday's market reports:
Telegraph
The Times
The Times (Need to know)
FT
The Guardian
The Independent
Saturday
One of the worlds most successful banks was charged with a $1 billion securities fraud yesterday, casting a dark cloud over Wall Street. Goldman Sachs is accused of tricking investors into spending millions on a rotten mortgage product. It is the latest blow for the US bank, already pilloried for its big bonuses and apparent disdain for public opinion.
$1bn fraud charge for Goldman Sachs
The US government's court battle with Goldman Sachs is an essential first step on the road to banking reform. One tweet yesterday said it all: "How can the [US] government sue Goldman Sachs? I thought Goldman Sachs ran the government."
Goldman Sachs: At war with Washington
So how bad is it for Goldman Sachs? It certainly doesnt look great. The allegations made by the Securities and Exchange Commission play to Wall Street conspiracy theories about the vampire squid.
Rivals may not be smiling at Goldman Sachs predicament for long
Typing in French and in English to a friend who may never be named, the Goldman Sachs banker shared his apparently true feelings on the state of the US housing market: More and more leverage in the system. The whole building is about to collapse anytime now ... Only potential survivor, the fabulous Fab[rice Tourre] ... standing in the middle of all these complex, highly leveraged, exotic trades he created without necessarily understanding all of the implication of those monstruosities [sic]!!!
Goldman Sachs, Fabrice Tourre and the complex Abacus of toxic mortgages
The prospect of Greece turning to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for support to avert bankruptcy has been met with howls of protest in Athens, piling further pressure on George Papandreou, the Greek prime minister.
Fury in Greece over IMF intervention
Sterling retreated against major currencies overnight after Nick Cleggs winning performance in the televised campaign debate between party leaders fanned fears of a hung Parliament.
Clegg victory hits pound on hung parliament fears
UK retailers face significant disruption to their supply chains due to a ban on air freight following the volcanic ash crisis.
Volcanic ash cloud leaves shops facing shortages of fruit, vegetables and medicine
And so-called off-balance sheet lending has been quietly expanding to what one bank executive called an immense scale, perhaps equaling on-balance sheet credit.
Pulling the plug on Chinas banks. Literally.
Robin Chhabra, a former analyst for Evolution Securities, was fined 95,000 for giving confidential information on two Evolution clients to Sameer Patel, a friend.
FSA bans two analysts after bets on leaks
Two Yale professors are advocating leverage as a way to raise returns and lower risks on retirement savings. Is their idea smart or dangerously crazy?
Why Young People Should Buy Stocks on Margin
Sunday
Goldman Sachs is to announce first-quarter profits of nearly $4bn (2.6bn) this week - a rise of 50pc on the same period last year - creating fresh controversy for the investment bank which was accused of fraudulent activity on Friday.
Goldman Sachs faces $4bn profit row
THE City watchdog has launched a probe into the London operations of Goldman Sachs after shock claims that the giant international bank orchestrated a $1 billion (650m) fraud against investors. It is understood the FSA is examining trades similar to the transaction that prompted the legal challenge from the American regulator.
FSA probe into Goldman Sachs fraud
Monday
A vital conference today between officials from Greece, the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank and the European Union has been cancelled because of the disruption to air travel.
Greek rescue talks affected by volcano
The long-drawn saga in Athens can perhaps be deemed a case apart. Greece lied. Its budget deficit was egregious at 16pc of GDP last year on a cash basis. It wasted its EMU windfall, the final chance to bring public debt back from the brink of a compound spiral.
No prospect of any more German rescues as Portugal hits a brick wall
Lawyers in the United States were predicting a wave of legal action last night in the wake of the $1 billion fraud charge brought against Goldman Sachs by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
Goldman Sachs case opens lawsuit floodgates on Wall Street
MGM sale ... BBC staff ... Toyota recall ...
Need to know