SINGAPORE/LONDON (Reuters) -Global infrastructure funds have approached Vodafone to invest in its $16 billion mast company Vantage Towers but the telecoms giant's preference is for an industry merger, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The Bank of Japan maintained its massive stimulus on Friday and warned of heightening risks to a fragile economic recovery from the Ukraine crisis, reinforcing expectations it will remain an outlier in the global shift towards tighter monetary policy.

BP's board on Friday recommended investors vote against a shareholder resolution filed by Dutch activist group Follow This urging the British energy company to accelerate its energy transition strategy.

BEIJING (Reuters) -China will cut income tax for some small firms to 20% from 25%, the finance ministry said on Friday, as part of steps to ease burdens on small businesses to support the slowing economy.

China Evergrande Group's flagship unit Hengda Real Estate Group Co Ltd said it will meet onshore bondholders on Friday and Saturday to delay a coupon payment due last September to September of this year.

As they switch off the lights in Moscow, the world's top banks face a risk-ridden retreat, juggling obligations to anxious clients and staff while complying with sanctions that have rewritten the rules of doing business in Russia.