Daily Dispatches: Perpetual set to triple its profits

Funds manager Perpetual says its first half net profit may more than triple as equity markets stage a recovery. Net profit for the six months to December 31 will be between $40m and $50m. (Business Day)

And Perpetual has recruited internally to replace its group executive of global equities, Emilio Gonzalez, who will become chief executive of BT Investment Management from January next year. (Money Management)

Australia's dwindling regional banks face another difficult year of funding pressures, compressed margins and higher bad debts, after pre-tax profit plunged 58 per cent last year to $494m, according to analyst KPMG. (The Australian)

Australian regulators are considered unlikely to adopt a radical proposal endorsed by Bank of England governor Mervyn King overnight to restrict bank guarantees to bread-and-butter lending activities. (The Australian)

Treasury Secretary Ken Henry predicting a decades-long run of relatively high commodity prices. (ABC News)