Fines of $7 in "tough" new China anti-smoking rules

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s “toughest” ever smoking ban which aims to stop people lighting up during November’s Asian Games will carry fines of $7, state media said on Wednesday, a limited deterrent to smokers in one of China’s richest cities.

Stock futures point to weaker Wall St

LONDON (Reuters) Stock index futures pointed to a slightly lower opening for U.S. shares on Wednesday, extending a decline from the previous session, as worries about the financial health of the euro zone’s banks resurfaced. * At 0841 GMT futures for the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq were down between 0.1 and 0.2 percent

Japan’s intervention hints fail to stop yen rally

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s government sharpened its rhetoric on foreign exchange intervention on Wednesday as a rise in the yen to a 15-year high underlined concerns that the currency’s strength could threaten the economic recovery.

Blair’s memoirs an atypical political book: The Economist

On Wednesday, September 1, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair released his memoirs A Journey. In an interview with CNBCTV18’s Menaka Doshi, David Rennie Political Editor and Bagehot Columnist at the Economist, and who has reviewed the book for this week’s edition gave his perspective.

Banks and Ag Look Good Now: Stifel’s Lutz

A market rally Wednesday was largely led by financials, said David Lutz, managing director at Stifel Nicholaus, who recommended investors take a closer look at the space.

India to fall short of global maternal health goal

India has halved the number of women who die during childbirth, but experts warned on Wednesday a lack of facilities is likely to stop the country from meeting global goals for improving maternal health before 2015.

Architect of UK Bank Supertax Admits it Failed

Alistair Darling admitted on Wednesday that Britain’s controversial supertax on bankers’ bonuses had failed to change the industry’s behavior over pay as “imaginative” financiers devised ways to avoid it. The FT reports.

Japan PM Kan, Rival Ozawa Clash Over Fiscal Policy

Prime Minister Naoto Kan and rival Ichiro Ozawa clashed over fiscal priorities on Wednesday in a battle for party leadership that threatens a policy vacuum as Japan struggles to tackle a strong yen and weak economy.

GM roadshow to begin after elections: sources

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Automaker General Motors Co plans to begin courting investors for its initial public offering immediately after the November 2 U.S. midterm congressional elections, two sources familiar with the plans said on Wednesday

Burger King in sale talks: source

NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Burger King Holdings Inc , the second biggest U.S. hamburger chain, is in talks to sell itself to investment firm 3G Capital, a source briefed on the situation said on Wednesday.