MEPs vote for "naked" short-selling restrictions

BBC News reports that MEPs have voted in favour of restricting the practice of "naked" short selling.


Short-sellers usually borrow shares or bonds, sell them, then buy them back when the stock falls - pocketing the difference.

"Naked" short-selling is when a trader sells financial instruments he has not yet borrowed.

A new directive places conditions on the use of credit defaults swaps (CDS) - a form of government debt insurance.

Read more here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12670943

EU court rules in favour of 'unisex' insurance

According to euractiv.com, starting from 2012, insurance companies will no longer be able to charge different premiums for men and women, after the European Court of Justice ruled against using gender-based criteria to set prices.


"Taking into account the sex of the insured as a risk factor in insurance contracts is discriminatory," the court said in a statement.


The court was ruling on a case submitted by Belgian consumer group Test-Achats, which argued that current exemptions for women contradicted EU legislation on anti-discrimination and gender equality.

Insurance companies lamented the court's decision, which is due to enter into force on 21 December 2012.


Read more here: http://www.euractiv.com/en/socialeurope/eu-court-rules-favour-unisex-insurance-news-502658?utm_source=EurActiv+Newsletter&utm_campaign=ce2ab707c9-my_google_analytics_key&utm_medium=email