(Reuters) - China finished 2010 with a bang, its growth soaring past forecasts and inflation slowing less than expected, numbers that could prod the government to intensify its easy-does-it approach to tightening. Evidence of robust growth may give officials confidence to take more aggressive steps to quell price pressures, from stricter lending curbs to interest rate rises, as rising food costs in recent weeks suggest inflation will rebound in coming months.

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(Reuters) - The top executive of Procter & Gamble took corporate America's case for a lower tax rate to U.S. lawmakers on Thursday, and also called for an end to taxation of foreign-earned profits. Multinational companies say the top 35 percent corporate tax rate hamstrings them against foreign-based rivals, most of which are subject to far lower rates.

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(Reuters) - Spain's government is finalizing plans to raise fresh funds for its troubled savings banks, officials said, as its efforts to force the country's regional administrations to cut spending began to bear fruit. Madrid is hoping the regionally-based banks can raise the additional capital -- which the sources denied would reach the 30 billion euros ($40.47 billion) cited in a newspaper report -- from private investors as it battles to keep a tough austerity program on track.

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(Reuters) - Boeing Co (BA.N) said on Thursday it would lay off 1,100 workers who make the company's C-17 cargo plane, as it scales down assembly rates to extend the life of the production line. Boeing spokesman Jerry Drelling said layoff notices would go out starting Friday to workers in Long Beach, California; St. Louis, Missouri; Mesa, Arizona; and Macon, Georgia. The 1,100 workers represent about 24 percent of the total employees on Boeing's C-17 line.

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(Reuters) - Google Inc is expected to report a 22 percent jump in fourth-quarter revenue thanks to a busy holiday season, though it will face questions about long-term growth when it unveils results on Thursday. Shares of the world's No.1 Internet search engine underperformed the market in 2010 but have gained roughly 6 percent in the past three weeks as investors anticipate that Google will benefit from healthy online advertising spending.

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(Reuters) - Stocks fell on Wednesday after Goldman Sachs posted a decline in quarterly profit, denting investor optimism. Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N) fell 2.6 percent to $170.07 after it posted a 53 percent decline in profit as trading revenue tumbled, spoiling hopes that Wall Street's most influential bank might buck a volatile climate that has hurt rivals such as Citigroup Inc (C.N).

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(Reuters) - Goldman Sachs posted a 53 percent decline in fourth-quarter profit as revenue from fixed income tumbled, dashing hopes that Wall Street's largest investment bank might buck a volatile climate that has hurt rivals such as Citigroup Inc. Bond trading revenue -- including commodities and currencies -- fell 39 percent from the third quarter, reflecting what Goldman called "generally low client activity levels."

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(Reuters) - Two of the 10 largest U.S. banks reported much higher fourth-quarter profits, helped by lower credit costs. Both San Francisco-based Wells Fargo & Co (WFC.N), the fourth-largest U.S. bank, and Minneapolis-based US Bancorp (USB.N) also both saw higher revenues contribute to healthy net income.

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(Reuters) - Citigroup Inc named investment bank chief John Havens president and chief operating officer on Wednesday, expanding its most senior level of executives and elevating a long-time friend of Chief Executive Officer Vikram Pandit. Havens, currently head of Citigroup's institutional clients group, will fill a vacant role as he takes charge of the bank's day-to-day operations. The company announced his promotion along with several other management changes on Wednesday.

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(Reuters) - The United States and China reached agreement on export deals worth $45 billion, a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday. The agreements included a $19 billion deal with Boeing in which China will purchase 200 Boeing (BA.N) aircraft.

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