The FINANCIAL -- The EBRD and the Russian Direct Investment Fund have agreed to acquire 6.29 per cent and 1.25 per cent stakes respectively in Russia’s MICEX -RTS stock exchange, according to The European Bank.

The FINANCIAL -- Deutsche Bank employees based in the United States have been eligible for same sex domestic partner benefits under the company’s health insurance plans since 1999, according to Deutsche Bank.

The FINANCIAL -- CACEIS and EFG International reached an agreement on 17th January whereby the activities of SIF Swiss Investment Funds S.A., according to Crédit Agricole .

The FINANCIAL -- Together with Nordea, KfW IPEX-Bank is financing the network expansion of the Brazilian telecommunications enterprise Telemar Norte Leste S.A.. Both banks are providing loans of equal shares totalling about USD 200 million, according to KfW.

The FINANCIAL -- The upward trend in new home construction will continue in 2012 as well, according to KfW.This is shown by the current KfW Indicator Own Home Construction, which is calculated exclusively for the economic magazine "Wirtschaftswoche": The Indicator increase significantly in December 2011 by 7.1 percentage point compared to the September figure.