Feb 1 (Reuters) - Kazakhstan's flagship carrier Air Astana has placed orders for 15 new planes worth more than $1 billion in total, Air Astana President Peter Foster said on Wednesday.

European Union regulators have blocked the merger of exchange operators Deutsche Boerse and NYSE Euronext to avoid giving them a stranglehold on the European futures market.

European banks could ask for more than a trillion dollars in loans from the European Central Bank (ECB) next month, reported the Financial Times on Monday, as the ECB prepares for a second money auction designed to avert a possible credit crunch.

China intends to establish Shanghai as the global centre for yuan trading, clearing and pricing over the next three years as part of broader plans to make the commercial hub an international financial centre by 2020.

Finance Minister Says Euro Zone May Refuse Athens a Fresh Bailout If Nation Can't Enact Reforms.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fitch downgraded the sovereign credit ratings of Belgium, Cyprus, Italy, Slovenia and Spain on Friday, indicating there was a 1-in-2 chance of further cuts in the next two years.

DAVOS, Switzerland-European Central Bank President Mario Draghi told the World Economic Forum on Friday that the ECB's actions in December had averted financial disaster, and cited evidence of improvement in euro-zone markets in recent weeks.

DAVOS, Switzerland - U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner hinted Friday that the Obama administration could support an increase in resources for the International Monetary Fund to fight the euro crisis, and also sounded a note of cautious optimism on the U.S. economy.

Kazakh bank BTA will try to persuade angry creditors to accept a second debt restructuring after failing on Thursday to win shareholder approval for the proposal it says is imperative for survival.

Davos speech reflects frustration with German leadership of eurozone.

26 January 2012, Almaty - "BTA Bank" JSC (the "Bank") would like to announce results of today's General Shareholders' Meeting (the "GSM") held in Almaty as well as to provide an update on a number of matters in relation to the proposed restructuring of certain of its financial indebtedness.

Japan first annual trade deficit in more than 30 years calls into question how much longer the country can rely on exports to help finance a huge public debt without having to turn to fickle foreign investors.

Almaty, January 24, 2012 - BTA Bank JSC informed that from January 23, 2012 Mr. Konstantin Korishchenko has resigned from his position as a Member of the Board of Directors, Independent Director of BTA Bank JSC.

Creditors' Meeting Presentation on 27 January 2012.

The global economy faces a depression-era collapse in demand if Europe doesn't quickly act to dramatically boost the size of its debt-crisis firewall, implement pro-growth policies and further integrate the euro zone, the head of the International Monetary Fund warned Monday.