Thursday's Headlines: Could Barclays call the Big Apple home?

Although Barclays refuses to comment on a UBS analysts report suggesting the investment bank consider relocating from London to dodge British capitgal rules, New York City Mayor Bloomberg is rooting for a move to New York City. According to the New York Times, Bloomberg has not offered any incentives but quotes him as saying: "I hope they move here; it'd be great for us."

Both London-based UBS and Standard Chartered have also recently said that tough regulation have made the U.K. an increasingly unattractive hometown.

Other News

The U.S. drove global equity issuance in the 1Q, topping Asia. [NYT]

Black Merrill Lynch brokers' discrimination suit was dismissed. [Dealbook]

Clampdowns by German and U.S. authorities on tax-evading clients at banks could make Swiss wealth management firms alluring takeover targets. [Reuters]

Financier Jacob Rothschild has launched a $750 million private equity fund to help Chinese investors to take part in international deals. [Reuters]

A former Goldman trader will introduce a $1 Billion fund in Hong Kong on Friday. [Reuters]

The Fed rejects AIG's mortgage asset bid, saying it plans to sell the securities in small chunks over time. [Dealbook]

BofA cut CEO Moynihan's compensation by 70 percent to $1.94 million in 2010. [BusinessWeek]

Blackstone's GSO Capital will buy its first European CLO manager. [BusinessWeek]

Top bankers express their disapproval of the TMX-London Stock Exchange merger. [WSJ]