News in brief: Euro pullout fears on wane in the City, ING gets extra time to repay state aid, Sandy blows away Mallett’s hopes

The risk of a catastrophic event such as a sudden pullout from the euro by Greece has fallen back in the past year, says a Bank of England survey of financial-market participants.

Although 20% of respondents judge the risk of a “high-impact event” as high or very high, this was down from 36% a year ago. Confidence in the UK financial system is at its highest level since the first half of last year.

ING gets extra time to repay state aid

Dutch bank ING today reached agreement with the European Commission that will give it longer to pay back the €3 billion (£2.4 billion) of state aid it still enjoys. Under the new deal, ING will have to pay back €4.5 billion but in four tranches over the next three years. A deadline to sell off large parts of its insurance business has been extended by two years to 2015.

Sandy blows away Mallett’s hopes

Shares in Mayfair antique trader Mallett fell 9.5p, or more than 10%, to 72.5p today after it said Hurricane Sandy had hit trading at its New York showroom, and this meant it was “unlikely to be profitable this year”. Mallett said it has recently won the right to sell two “exciting collections” of 18th-century furniture, and had a successful exhibition of Clare Potter’s ceramics in New York.

Lonmin backers say Yes to fundraiser

Investors in South African platinum miner Lonmin today backed an $817 million (£514 million) fundraising to repair the group’s finances after stoppages and violent clashes at the Marikana mine in August that cost 34 striking workers their lives. Chairman Roger Phillimore called for a minute’s silence at the meeting in memory of those killed.