Mizuho Financial Group Inc. (8411)’s banking unit set up an internal committee and will assemble a panel of outside experts to improve compliance after it failed to act on loans made to crime groups. . .

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-04/mizuho-takes-steps-to-improve-compliance-after-crime-group-loans.html

Swiss regulators are investigating a number of financial firms over the potential manipulation of currency markets, where £3tn changes hands every day. . .

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/oct/04/switzerland-foreign-exchange-manipulation-currency-markets-banks

A discussion paper published today sets out proposals for annual, concurrent stress tests of the UK banking system. Its aim is to elicit feedback from interested parties to help inform FPC and PRA Board decisions over the ultimate design of the stress tests.  . .

http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/Pages/news/2013/116.aspx

Catalyst offered bonds issued by Luxembourg-based ARM to investment intermediaries and independent financial advisers (IFAs) in the UK, who in turn promoted and sold them to retail investors. ARM applied for a licence to issue the bonds from the Luxembourg financial regulator, the CSSF. . .

http://www.fca.org.uk/news/catalyst-investment-group-limited

European Union regulators inadvertently sent confidential data to 13 of the world’s biggest lenders as part of an antitrust complaint in an investigation of the credit derivatives industry.  . .

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-30/bank-secrets-exposed-in-eu-s-credit-derivatives-antitrust-probe.html

The appetite for risk among Britain’s big businesses is at its highest since before the financial crisis and companies are finally ready to start spending their cash piles, according to the latest upbeat survey on the UK economy. . . .

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/sep/30/companies-cash-reserves-risk-deloitte-survey

Switzerland’s second-largest bank, may trim jobs at the Europe, Middle East and Africa equities business, three people familiar with the plan said  . . .

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-25/credit-suisse-said-to-weigh-job-cuts-in-european-equities.html

Barclays Plc will stop offering wealth management services in about 130 countries by 2016 and cut jobs in the unit as part of an effort to rein in costs and boost profit. . .

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/09/26/uk-barclays-wealth-idUKBRE98O1CJ20130926

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has fined ICAP Europe Limited (IEL) £14 million for misconduct relating to the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR).  IEL is the first broking firm to be fined for failings relating to the benchmark. . .

http://www.fca.org.uk/news/icap-europe-limited-fined

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has fined Clydesdale Bank (Clydesdale) for failing to inform its customers clearly of their rights after the bank miscalculated the repayments on over 42,500 mortgages. . .

http://www.fca.org.uk/news/clydesdale-bank-fined-89-million