Thursday Papers: Ireland records 2.7% GDP growth - other news

Financial Times

* German policymakers and bankers are braced for emergency capital injections as the eight members of the troubled Landesbank sector agreed to face stress tests.

* Llloyds is to close the last 265 of its Halifax agency outlets as it presses ahead with the integration of its HBOS acquisition made 18 months ago.

* French finance regulator fines the former head of Société Générale’s investment bank, Jean-Pierre Mustier, €100,000 for selling 6,000 shares just as the subprime crisis hit.

* Ireland recorded 2.7% GDP growth in spite of having undertaken a fiscal retrenchment.

* New EU-wide rules to cap bonuses paid to bankers from 2011 onwards have been agreed between EU lawmakers and member states.

* German unemployment falls to 7.5%.

* BP taps banks again to raise more funds after $20bn package.

* Investors flock to havens in tough year for equities; top-tier government bonds and gold reap solid returns.

* Subsidies for Airbus illegal, says WTO; ruling casts financing for A350 into doubt.

* Slow US hiring signals ‘lethargic’ jobs market; report shows only 13,000 private sector workers added in June.

The Times