Charity Sanford

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- South Carolina's frugal Governor Mark Sanford has been spreading cash to cheer charities. Wednesday, December 22, 2010.

Gov. Mark Sanford used a business-class plane ticket he won at a 2004 charity auction for a state overseas trip, then was reimbursed for its $1,100 cost with state money.

Lloyds Banking Group PLC (LYG) is set to signal that it will bring forward its so-called "ring fence", or separation of retail and investment banking, ahead of the 2019 deadline demanded by the Independent Commission on Banking, the Sunday Telegraph reported.

Banco Santander SA (SAN) will shut 96 high street branches as part of its effort to complete the integration of the British lenders it bought during the financial crisis, the Sunday Times reported.

Barclays PLC (BCS.LN) Deputy Chairman Michael Rake has shunned the chance to become chairman of the beleaguered bank, and Rich Ricci, Chief Executive of Barclay's investment banking arm, pulled out of the race to become CEO of the parent company, U.K. newspapers reported Sunday.

Australian mining and resources investment is close to peaking, posing downside risks for what has become a key pillar of the nation's economy, a report published Monday by Deloitte Access Economics said.

The International Monetary Fund has signaled to Brussels it will no longer partake in financial aid for Greece, meaning the country could run out of money as early as September, according to an article published the Der Spiegel website Sunday, citing a high-ranking representative of European Union

Granting a two-year extension of Greece's deficit-cutting program would cost the country's European and international creditors as much as €40 billion euros extra, a Greek newspaper reports Sunday, twice the amount of previous government estimates.

Australian supermarket giant Woolworths Ltd. (WOW.AU) said Monday fourth quarter sales rose 5.1% on year to 12.90 billion Australian dollars (US$13.33 billion) as it grew customer numbers, market share and items sold.

Pay-TV operator Sky Deutschland (SKYD.XE) expects to post an operating profit in the second quarter, Chief Executive Officer Brian Sullivan told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in an interview published Sunday, confirming a report earlier this month.

Australian shares declined Monday amid renewed concerns about Europe's debt problems, with the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index falling 0.9% to 4,160.80 in early trading.

Andy Haste, the former chief executive of RSA Insurance Group PLC (RSA.LN), is leading a private-equity consortium looking to bid for Direct Line Group, the insurance business being sold by Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC (RBS.LN), the Sunday Telegraph reported.