CHINA

Finance Ministry to Investigate Securities Market: Officials plan a nationwide investigation of the securities industry as part of their effort to beef up supervision and reinforce financial regulations. The campaign, front-page news in Chinese newspapers last week, comes in the wake of efforts by the China’s securities regulators to curb rampant speculation in futures markets. Some analysts said the investigation was a step in the right direction but that it’s not likely to end speculation. Speculators account for about 90% of trading in China’s futures markets.