Finance news you need to know today

ANZ Bank has refused to comment on a report that it will face legal action by the corporate watchdog over alleged interest rate rigging.

The Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. (ANZ) logo is displayed on a bank branch in Sydney, Australia, on Monday, Oct. 25, 2010. Three of Australia's four largest banks are set to post second-half profits that match or exceed earnings before the global financial crisis as bad debts ease in an economy benefiting from the biggest mining boom in a century. Photographer: Sergio Dionisio/Bloomberg

HERE are nine things making news in business and finance around the world today.

1. SYDNEY — ANZ Bank has refused to comment on a report that it will face legal action by the corporate watchdog as part of an investigation into interest rate rigging by Australia’s big four banks.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission may be close to filing a civil action against ANZ in relation to illegal manipulation of the rate at which the banks lend money to each other, according to the Australian Financial Review.

2. SYDNEY — Condoms and protective gloves maker Ansell has reported a 21 per cent drop in first half profit on the back of a challenging economic environment.

Ansell made a net profit of $US69.6 million ($A98.30 million) for the six months to December 31, down from $US87.7 million profit a year ago.

3. SYDNEY — JB Hi-Fi has lifted its first half profit by 7.6 per cent on the back of a strong performance in the key trading months of November and December.

The home and electronic goods retailer reported net profit of $95.2 million for the six months to December 31, up from $88.5 million a year ago.

4. DUBAI — Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh says Iran’s crude oil sales to Europe after the lifting of international sanctions on Tehran have already reached above 300,000 barrels, according to the ministry’s news agency.

5. WASHINGTON — US employment gains slowed more than expected in January as the boost to hiring from unseasonably mild weather faded, but surging wages and an unemployment rate at an eight-year low suggested the labour market recovery remains firm.

6. WASHINGTON — The US trade deficit widened in December as a strong dollar and weak global demand continued to weigh on exports.

7. WASHINGTON — Banking giant HSBC has reached a $US470 million ($A654.19 million) settlement with the US government and nearly all states over mortgage lending and foreclosure abuses that officials say helped intensify the country’s economic meltdown.

8. SAN FRANCISCO — Investors have given LinkedIn a poor job review in the form of a dramatic sell-off that wiped out nearly $US10 billion ($A13.92 billion) in the professional networking service’s market value after it issued a surprise forecast for slower growth this year.

9. FRANKFURT — Managers and pilots of Air Berlin have agreed to pay cuts as the struggling German airline tries to rein in costs with a new restructuring program.