Briefs

General Electric (GE) is among companies that have expressed interest in a merger with, or takeover of, ING Group's (ING) U.S. online bank, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. The Dutch lender is under European Union orders to sell ING Direct by the end of 2013 so it can repay a $14 billion bailout. The bank has also been in talks with CIT Group and Citigroup's private-label credit-card business. Acquiring all or part of ING Direct would allow GE Capital to diversify its sources of funding. The unit has been expanding its deposit base, ending 2010 with $37 billion, up from $9.8 billion in 2006, according to an SEC filing. ING Direct had $77.7 billion in deposits at the end of 2010.

In its first decision on interest-rate swaps, Germany's highest court on Mar. 21 ruled that Deutsche Bank (DB) must pay toilet paper maker Ille Papier Service $770,000 plus interest for failing to adequately disclose the risks of the swaps. Germany's biggest bank faces dozens of suits from local governments and businesses that bought swaps from the lender. Similar cases are moving through the courts in Italy, France, and the U.K.