| * India markets hit new high on Modi hopes * Ex-Deutsche Bank exec guilty of bribery * Snap poll fails to halt Thailand street protests * Ukraine security services investigate opposition for alleged coup plot * Riot spoils Singapore's harmonious image * China inflation slows on lower food prices * Stocks firm on growth optimism * Hedge fund invests in Brazil fraud cases * New twist in Mol dispute with Croatia * BIS warns over loose lending conditions * German president to shun Sochi Olympics * Cars drive West Midlands exports surge * Samsonite seeking acquisitions in China * Markets: mostly up India markets hit new high on Modi hopes
India's stock market hit a new high in early trading on Monday, buoyed by a wave of investor optimism following a resounding defeat for the ruling Congress party in state elections this weekend.
http://on.ft.com/18vqcI2 Ex-Deutsche Bank exec guilty of bribery
Ma Sin-chi, a former managing director at the German bank's Hong Kong office, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for accepting illegal bribes
http://on.ft.com/18vMZU2 Snap poll fails to halt Thailand street protests
Thailand's prime minister called a snap election on Monday, but failed to halt fresh mass street protests aimed at ousting her government and handing power to an unelected national ruling council instead.
http://on.ft.com/J5AFRw Ukraine security services investigate opposition for alleged coup plot
The Ukrainian security services have launched a criminal investigation into "activities aimed at overthrowing the government" as hundreds of thousands of pro-EU protesters gathered on Sunday in Kiev in response to calls for a "million-man march".
http://on.ft.com/IzAVYp Riot spoils Singapore's harmonious image
Singapore police have arrested 27 people, most of them Indian nationals, after an accidental road death triggered the worst outbreak of civil unrest for years in the island nation, tarnishing its long-held reputation as one of the region's safest cities.
http://on.ft.com/1bQtk4a China inflation slows on lower food prices
Country's producer prices remain in deflationary territory, dropping 1.4% year-on-year, though that is up slightly from October's 1.5% decline
http://on.ft.com/1brb2DQ Stocks firm on growth optimism
Stocks firm as upbeat US and China data bolster economic optimism while markets show signs of coming to terms with the prospects for less Fed largesse.
http://on.ft.com/18vMZU4 Hedge fund invests in Brazil fraud cases
New York hedge fund Platinum Partners is to invest in recovery of fraud claims worth R$12bn via a deal with international asset chaser Martin Kenney
http://on.ft.com/1brb26Q New twist in Mol dispute with Croatia
Battle between the Hungarian oil producer and the Croatian government over control of Ina has taken another twist with a lawsuit in Budapest
http://on.ft.com/1brb2DV BIS warns over loose lending conditions
Bank of International Settlements warns of potential spike in default rates from riskier lending agreements when central banks withdraw their economic stimulus packages
http://on.ft.com/1brb26W German president to shun Sochi Olympics
Germany's president has declined to travel to Russia for the Winter Olympics in a move being interpreted as a protest against human rights violations
http://on.ft.com/1brb26X Cars drive West Midlands exports surge
Exports to China are rising in six of the nine English regions, led by the West Midlands, which has more than trebled sales since the start of 2011
http://on.ft.com/1brb52m Samsonite seeking acquisitions in China
Tim Parker has turned round Samsonite since taking over as chief executive in 2009 and his next objective is to expand through acquisitions
http://on.ft.com/1brb2Ud Emerging Markets
MSCI Emerging Market Index up +0.85% at 1,011 Europe
FTSE down -0.18% at 6,540
RTS up +0.71% at 1,401
Warsaw Wig up +0.63% at 53,059
FTSE 300 Eurotop down -0.13% at 1,269 Americas
DJIA up +1.26% at 16,020
S&P 500 up +1.12% at 1,805
Bovespa up +0.31% at 50,944 Asia
Nikkei 225 up +2.29% at 15,650
Topix up +1.58% at 1,255
Hang Seng up +0.29% at 23,811
Shanghai Composite up +0.05% at 2,238
MSCI Asia ex-Japan up +0.98% at 467.20
CNX Nifty up +1.66% at 6,364 Currencies
€/$ 1.37 (1.37)
$/¥ 103.07 (102.85) Commodities
Brent Crude (ICE) down -0.43 at 111.18
Light Crude (Nymex) up +0.13 at 97.78
100 Oz Gold (Comex) down -0.80 at 1,230 | 
