Business news for Mon, 31 Dec 2007 & with word central. 6 news.

When I sat down for my annual review of what I've written over the past year, something jumped out at me. Usually, I write about widely diversified subjects. But in 2007, I devoted an inordinate number of columns to the shenanigans of leveraged buyout firms and the attempts by the world's central banks to rescue financial markets.

Central govt. brushed aside all rumours about raising the retirement age of its staff from 60 to 62.

Zimbabwe's central bank chief has extended a deadline to exchange bills of Z$200 000 just hours before they were to cease being legal tender.

Figures from the Central Bank show that lending growth slipped again in November, with the adjusted annual rate of private sector credit growth dropping to 17.1% from 18.5% in October.

China Development Bank has received a US$20bn capital injection from Central Huijin Investment Co.

Cyprus and Malta will tomorrow embrace the euro, boosting Europe's monetary union to 15 states and adding another two Club Med votes to the policy board of the European Central Bank.