The de-leveraging of the past three years as companies cut costs, restored profits and paid down debt may have drawn to a close in Europe, and in America it has given way to a mild net increase in borrowing to finance more capital spending and share buybacks.

ECONOMIST: Buttonwood

This substantial increase in our dividend will be part of our effort to reallocate capital to dividends and reduce share repurchases.

WSJ: Review & Outlook: Obama's Dividend Assault

There are no signs of Mediobanca relinquishing its grasp: last month, it announced a capital increase and the sale of some corporate stakes in order to take up its rights in a Generali share issue.

ECONOMIST: Insurance