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China is committed to reducing its intervention in the foreign exchange market and is preparing to increase the transparency of its currency policy, U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said on Thursday. _0"> U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said separately that China and the United States had a frank exchange about cyber security issues and agreed to continue those discussions. Lew and Kerry were speaking at the end of annual high-level talks between China and the United States. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton ; Writing by Ben Blanchard ; Editing by Dean Yates)

The dollar was stuck near one-week lows against a basket of major currencies on Thursday, staying on the back foot after minutes of the Federal Reserve's June meeting gave no clear indication about the timing of an interest rate rise. In the European session, the Swedish crown rose to a one-week high against the euro after data showed consumer prices in Sweden rose more than expected. That drove some investors to trim short bets against the currency made after a sharp interest rate cut by the country's central bank last week. The focus though was on the dollar. The Fed minutes confirmed the U.S. central bank's monthly bond purchases would probably end in October and showed that policymakers debated the complexities of unwinding a stimulus program that has flooded the financial system with over $2 trillion. The uncertain outlook for the timing of the Fed's move has kept a lid on Treasury yields, with the two-year yield also hovering near one-week lows at around 0.48

European shares were back in negative territory on Thursday, a brief lift from U.S. Federal Reserve meeting minutes proving short-lived as investors worried whether markets could go it alone without the U.S. central bank's emergency support. Faith in a rally in share prices dating back almost three years has more shaky over the past month than for some time, as the Fed nears what looks like a definitive end to its programme of new money-printing. The minutes from the U.S. central bank's last meeting, published after European markets had closed on Wednesday, offered no sign it was any closer to following that with a swift rise in official interest rates to cool the economy. That boosted U.S. and Asian markets overnight. But the dominant concern at the European open was over companies' results and the economy's ability to survive without the new funds which the Fed's bond-buying has forced into the system every month. Norway's largest bank DNB added to an ina

U.S. and Chinese leaders have agreed that China will reduce its intervention in the currency market when conditions are ripe, reaching an understanding on a prickly issue that has hurt ties between the world's two biggest economies for years. China's Central Bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said on the sidelines of annual high-level talks between the two nations that China will "significantly" reduce its yuan intervention when some prerequisites are met. He did not give further details. Analysts said Zhou's unusual candour about China's currency intervention, which was echoed earlier on Wednesday by the Chinese finance minister, suggested that China may be ready to let the yuan rise again once its economy stabilises. Indeed, U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew told reporters at the end of talks on Thursday that China was committed to reducing its interference with the yuan, "as conditions permit". China will also increase the transparency of its curren

SSP Group has priced its London float at 210 pence per share, the bottom of its revised range, giving the owner of Upper Crust and Caffe Ritazza a market valuation of just under 1 billion pounds ($1.7 billion), the Telegraph reported on Wednesday. The price range for SSP's IPO-SSPG.L initial public listing was narrowed twice, with the final refined range between 210 to 215 pence per share, the daily said, without naming sources. ( bit.ly/1zpIKWK. ) The company is headed by retail veteran Kate Swann. The paper had earlier on Tuesday reported that the food and beverage company's price range had been narrowed to between 210 pence per share and 230 pence per share, from between 200 pence per share and 240 pence per share. A spokesman for the company declined to comment. SSP operates food and drink outlets in airports and railway stations in 29 countries. ($1 = 0.5877 British Pounds) (Reporting by Esha Vaish in Bangalore, editing by Louise Heavens and Cynthia Osterman )

Global investment company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co LP has joined with Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) to ready a joint bid for compliance company SAI Global, Australian media reported on Thursday. _0"> The two companies are said to be preparing an offer for the standards, assurance and information business, with a bid expected by the July 15 deadline, the Australian Financial Review said. PEP launched a A$1.1 billion ($1.0 billion) non-binding proposal for SAI in May, but the compliance company said other potential buyers had contacted it and decided to publish information about its business for all those interested. Reuters reported in late June that at least two other parties were interested in acquiring PEP. KKR has earmarked expansion in Australia, although a A$2.90 billion takeover offer for Treasury Wine Estates rejected in May. ($1 = 1.0629 Australian Dollars) (Reporting by Colin Packham; Editing by Richard Pullin )

India's Essar Global Fund Ltd is selling the U.S. operations of Aegis, its outsourcing and technology portfolio unit, to Paris-based rival Teleperformance SA for $610 million as the European company looks to boost its presence in the United States. _0"> The sale includes Aegis' U.S. operations, the Philippines and Costa Rica. Aegis will retain its BPO business across India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Australia, South Africa, Peru, Argentina, Saudi Arabia and the UK, according to a statement by Essar. The business to be acquired represents total annual revenue of $400 million and more than 19,000 full-time employees across 16 centres in the three countries, Teleperformance said in a statement. Buying Aegis U.S. will significantly strengthen the Paris-based company's presence in the healthcare, financial services, travel and hospitality verticals in the United States, the company said. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter. (Reporting by Nivedit