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U.S. Morning Call: HSBC to pay record money laundering fine

Monday, December 10, 2012 - 03:10

Dec 11 - HSBC has agreed to pay a record $1.92 billion fine to settle a multi-year money laundering probe by U.S. prosecutors.

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His morning conference Tuesday HSBC setting a record this morning and not the kind that you want. The bank agreed to dish out a one point nine billion dollar fine the largest ever imposed on a bank. To settle a multi year probe. US prosecutors had accused Europe's biggest bank of failing to enforce rules to prevent money laundering by cartels terrorists and tax evaders. The settlement is the third time in a decade HSBC has been penalized for lax controls. No bank executives however have been indicted. Let me Nazi US stock futures they're signaling gains at the open just as the FOMC begins its two day policy meeting in Washington. The Fed isn't expected to twist again but is likely to announce a new round of treasury bond purchases to reinforce quantitative easing. Also in Washington US fiscal cliff talks picking up pace with White House spokesman Jay Carney telling reporters quote. I can really say that the president believes that a deal is possible. In Europe stocks gaining ground as well held by data showing German investor confidence rose in December after a sharp all the previous month. Keep an -- and Nat gas and crude stocks today as ExxonMobil the world's largest publicly traded oil company. Releases its annual long term outlook for the energy sector. Stocks are watching this morning everything's bigger in Texas and so is Texas Instruments profit target the company approved its earnings outlook of penny more than expected. But the new profit target excludes a massive restructuring charge as the company cuts costs and the weak economy. Morgan Stanley may be looking for fed approval to buy back shares for the first time in four years the Wall Street Journal reports. The stocks had a volatile a year ending up just about higher since January. Companies often repurchase stock to give the share price of -- Also looking it Intel the company into these manufacturing technology that's that it helped launch a new line Smartphone and tablet chips. In the ever expanding mobile market. Not a busy day for earnings -- company that reports is Dollar General the discount retailer posted a higher quarterly profit this morning. But remained cautious for the rest of the year. Despite an encouraging start to the holiday season customer confidence and spending remain under pressure. And the store also faces challenges from competing discount chains. Shares of the company closed at 46 dollars on Monday. Let's wrap up with -- Reuters exclusive sources say machinery maker SPX is in talks to buy rival Gardner Denver. And hopes to finalize a deal by the end of the year. Gardner Denver told PE gators KKR. Add that -- national and a consortium of TPG and on X to put their pencils down until January while it negotiate a deal with SPX. Both companies have a market cap of over three billion dollars. That's -- for your Tuesday morning call follow us on Twitter at Reuters Insider and check out -- -- YouTube channel at Reuters dot com slash players TV. I'm Lisa Bernhard Fitz is the latest.