Bloomberg China’s central bank conducted its biggest weekly cash withdrawals since July, amid speculation it is seeking to ease bubbles in assets including bonds and property. The People’s Bank of China drained a net 420.1 billion yuan ($63 billion) from the financial system as maturing reverse-repurchase agreements exceeded new issuance. The nation’s benchmark money-market rate surged to a 14-month …

Bloomberg Illinois is joining California in suspending Wells Fargo & Co. from handling “billions” of dollars in investment work and the underwriting of state debt after the company admitted to opening potentially millions of bogus customer accounts. Treasurer Michael Frerichs said in a statement the he will announce details of the ban during a news conference in Chicago on Monday. …

  Dakar / AFP When farmer Isaac Tondo fell on lean times in Liberia’s long rainy season, his brother in the capital sent 8,000 Liberian dollars (US$87) to his Lonestar mobile money account, ensuring his children’s school fees would still be paid. Across Africa more and more people — from urban start-ups to hard-up villagers — are now spending, saving …