Saturday, March 22, 2008

China banks to face harder times after bumper 2007

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Chinas huge banks are poised to report strong profit growth for 2007, thanks to a surging economy and stock market bull run, but 2008 is set to be a tougher year for the top three Chinese lenders.

Inflation-proof your portfolio

Think of inflation as a menace you can manage -- if you take the right steps. Here are three things to consider to help ensure your money will last as long as you do.

Dow falls 293 as commodities slump

Gold falls under $1,000; crude oil drops 4.5%. Concerns about more write-downs at Merrill Lynch hit financial stocks. Visa shares jump 29% on the companys first day of trading. Morgan Stanley profits are better than expected.