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• UPDATE 2-Switzerland buries U.S. tax law, banks seen at risk Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 12:19 PM ET

  BERNE, June 19- Swiss lawmakers dealt a death blow on Wednesday to a draft law which aimed to protect the country's banks from criminal charges in the United States for helping wealthy Americans evade tax. With or without the law, they will still seek out of court settlements with U.S. authorities that could cost the industry as much as $10 billion.

• UPDATE 6-Oil supported by Middle East worries, all eyes on Fed Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 11:00 AM ET

  LONDON, June 19- Brent oil rose on Wednesday supported by fears that violence in Syria could spread elsewhere in the region, disrupting supply, while investors looked to a meeting of the Federal Reserve later in the day for clues on the outlook for continuing stimulus.

• Cyprus seeks help from creditors for troubled bank Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 10:57 AM ET

  NICOSIA, Cyprus-- Cyprus' president has warned the country's international creditors that its largest bank's cash reserves are running dangerously low, a problem that could undermine the country's 23 billion euro financial rescue package.

• PRECIOUS-Gold prices firm ahead of Fed policy statement Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 10:00 AM ET

  *Physical demand sluggish in China, India- traders. LONDON, June 19- Gold firmed on Wednesday as stock markets retreated ahead of a Federal Reserve policy statement, but uncertainty over the future of the U.S. central bank's quantitative easing programme kept the price in a narrow range.

• Local, global trends boost Gulf banks as foreign rivals retrench Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 10:00 AM ET

  ABU DHABI/ DUBAI, June 19- When British banker Michael Tomalin took the top job at National Bank of Abu Dhabi in 1999, the lender had about $9 billion in assets- tiny by global standards- and its operations were largely confined to the oil-rich emirate of Abu Dhabi.

• UPDATE 1-Britain says reckless bankers could face jail Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 9:48 AM ET

  LONDON, June 19- Bankers who are reckless with customers' or taxpayers' money could face criminal charges and have bonuses and pensions clawed back, according to proposals backed by Britain's prime minister on Wednesday.

• FOREX-U.S. dollar holds steady before Fed announcement Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 9:40 AM ET

  NEW YORK, June 19- The dollar was steady against major currencies on Wednesday, with markets in a holding pattern ahead of a Federal Reserve policy announcement and news conference that could shed light on the direction of U.S. monetary policy over the next months.

• PRECIOUS-Gold edges higher ahead of Fed policy statement Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 8:16 AM ET

  *Physical demand sluggish in China, India- traders. LONDON, June 19- Gold edged higher on Wednesday as stock markets retreated ahead of a Federal Reserve policy statement, but uncertainty over the future of U.S. central bank's quantitative easing programme kept it in a narrow range.

• US STOCKS-Futures hold recent gains as Fed statement looms Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 8:16 AM ET

  NEW YORK, June 19- U.S. stock index futures were up modestly Wednesday, holding on to gains over the last two days ahead of a highly anticipated Federal Reserve statement and news conference.

• INTERVIEW-World Bank watching U.S. Fed, ready to respond Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 7:50 AM ET

  LONDON, June 19- The World Bank is concerned about the spillover effects on developing countries of a slowing of U.S. money creation and will move to provide affordable capital when borrowing costs rise, its president said on Wednesday.

• US STOCKS-Futures little changed as Fed statement looms Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 7:42 AM ET

  NEW YORK, June 19- U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Wednesday following two days of gains ahead of a highly anticipated Federal Reserve statement and news conference. *The Fed will release a policy statement at 2:00 p.m. EDT, which will be followed soon after by a news conference with Chairman Ben Bernanke.

• Europe Needs a Fully Functioning Banking Union: CIO  Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 3:30 AM ET

  

  Alan Mudie, CIO of UBP, tells CNBC that he believes the best possible outcome was achieved in the Cyprus bailout.

• PRECIOUS-Gold holds steady ahead of Fed policy statement Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 5:46 AM ET

  LONDON, June 19- Gold held steady on Wednesday ahead of the outcome of the latest Federal Reserve policy meeting, as traders awaited further guidance on the future of the U.S. central bank's quantitative easing programme. Gold broke below its recent trading range on Tuesday to slide 1.2 percent, its biggest one-day loss in nearly two weeks.

• Should Reckless Bankers Go to Jail?  Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 1:40 AM ET

  

  The UK parliamentary banking standards report calls for jailing reckless senior bankers and handing regulators the power to claw back bonuses. Helia Ebrahimi has more.

• PRECIOUS-Gold slips for 3rd day on rally in stocks, Fed caution Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 2:58 AM ET

  *Gold down 1.7 percent so far this week. SINGAPORE, June 19- Gold fell for a third straight session on Wednesday, hovering near the lowest level in four weeks, as a rally in stocks and investor caution over the Federal Reserve curbing its stimulus programme sapped support for bullion.

• UK Prime Minister: 'Reckless' Bankers Could Face Jail Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 1:43 AM ET

  

  Bankers who are reckless with customers' or taxpayers' money could face criminal charges and have bonuses and pensions clawed back.

• UPDATE 1-Brent holds above $106, all eyes on Fed Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 1:47 AM ET

  *Syria peace conference unlikely before Aug- source. SINGAPORE, June 19- Brent crude futures held above $106 a barrel on Wednesday as investors looked to a Federal Reserve meeting for clues on the outlook for a U.S. stimulus programme that has underpinned commodity prices. Brent futures for August delivery had gained 13 cents to $106.15 a barrel by 0522 GMT.

• CORRECTED-Brent holds above $106, all eyes on Fed Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 1:42 AM ET

  *Syria peace conference unlikely before Aug- source. SINGAPORE, June 19- Brent crude futures held above $106 a barrel on Wednesday as investors looked to a Federal Reserve meeting for clues on the outlook for a U.S. stimulus programme that has underpinned commodity prices. Brent futures for August delivery had edged down 1 cent to $106.01 a barrel by 0310 GMT.

• WRAPUP 1-Fed seen keeping options open on pace of bond buying Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 12:59 AM ET

  WASHINGTON, June 19- Federal Reserve policymakers will likely announce on Wednesday that they will keep buying bonds at a monthly pace of $85 billion, while keeping their options open to scale back the program later this year if the U.S. labor market continues to improve. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke will hold a news conference 30 minutes later.

• PRECIOUS-Gold inches up after two-day fall, Fed eyed Tuesday, 18 Jun 2013 | 8:30 PM ET

  SINGAPORE, June 19- Gold edged up on Wednesday after a two-day drop, but investors remained cautious as they looked to the end of a Federal Reserve policy meeting for clues on the outlook for U.S. economic stimulus. *Spot gold was up 0.06 percent at $1,368.59 an ounce by 0013 GMT, hovering around a nearly one-month low of $1,364.54 touched on Tuesday.