Bloomberg Qatari banks Masraf Al Rayan QSC, Barwa Bank QSC and International Bank of Qatar (IBQ) QSC are in talks on a three-way merger as consolidation accelerates across the Middle East’s banking industry. The potential combination would create the largest sharia-compliant bank in Qatar and the third largest such lender in the Middle East, with assets worth more than 160 …

  Tokyo / AFP The Bank of Japan on Tuesday lifted its view of the economy for the first time in over a year, as the sliding yen boosts exports, offering some hope for Tokyo’s stuttering growth programme. Policymakers held fire on further stimulus and said they would maintain a plan to keep the yield on government 10-year bonds around …

  London / AFP British bank Lloyds on Tuesday bought Bank of America’s UK credit card division MBNA for £1.9 billion in the first acquisition since its government bailout during the global financial crisis. The deal, worth $2.4 billion or 2.3 billion euros, will bolster the group’s position in Britain’s prime credit card market, Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) said in …