European Commodity Stocks, Rio Tinto, Total May Advance; RWE May Decline

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks may gain for a third
day, led by mining and energy companies as prices for copper and
aluminum advanced and oil traded near a nine-month high.

Rio Tinto Group, the world's third-largest mining company,
rose in Australian trading. U.S.-traded securities of Total SA,
Europe's largest refiner, ended higher than their close in France.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Indian Bonds Head for Weekly Decline as Government Sells Debt Securities

(Bloomberg) -- India's 10-year bonds headed for the
second week of losses as the government today prepared to sell
debt at the fourth auction in five days.

The government today will sell 60 billion rupees ($1.5
billion) of the 7.49 percent notes due April 2017 as part of its
annual borrowing program. It raised as much as 160 billion rupees
earlier this week to partly pay for the purchase of a stake in
State Bank of India, the country's biggest commercial lender.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Wal-Mart Fuels Power Shift in Arkansas as Little Rock Companies Take Deals

(Bloomberg) -- It was one tough week for Little
Rock.

The city learned May 20 that Alltel Corp., its biggest
publicly traded company, was being taken over. That came on the
heels of news that Acxiom Corp., its fourth-biggest publicly
traded company, was being bought.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Malaysian Government Bonds Gain; Ringgit Heads for Best Week in Two Months

(Bloomberg) -- Malaysia's government bonds rose on
speculation a rebound in the local currency will boost demand
for the nation's debt. The ringgit headed for its biggest weekly
gain in almost two months.

Benchmark three-year notes headed for a weekly gain, ending
two weeks of losses, after demand increased yesterday at a
government sale of Islamic bonds. A stronger ringgit will
deliver additional returns to foreign investors when they
convert the value of their holdings to their local currency.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Yen Heads for Weekly Loss as Fukui May Signal Only Gradual Rate Increases

(Bloomberg) -- The yen headed for a weekly loss on
speculation Bank of Japan Governor Toshihiko Fukui will signal
plans to raise the overnight lending rate gradually after
leaving it unchanged today.

The yen traded near a 4 1/2-year low against the dollar as
the lowest borrowing costs in the industrialized world spur
investors to take out loans in Japan and buy higher-yielding
assets in so-called carry trades. Fukui will speak today after
policy makers unanimously decided to keep the benchmark rate at
0.5 percent for a fifth meeting.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Taiwan Dollar Falls on Overseas Investment Demand; Bonds Rise Before Break

(Bloomberg) -- Taiwan's dollar weakened to the
lowest in almost three weeks on speculation investors will buy
U.S. dollars to put money in higher-yielding assets overseas.
Local government bonds gained.

The island's currency headed for the biggest weekly loss
since January as lawmakers yesterday approved a proposal to
allow insurers to invest up to 45 percent of assets abroad from
the current 35 percent. Taiwan's benchmark interest rate is the
second lowest in Asia after Japan, encouraging local investors
to send money abroad to seek better returns.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Regulators look at two online ad takeovers: report

(Reuters) - So far, the FTC has not made "second requests" for extra
information from either Microsoft or Yahoo, the newspaper
reported. Those requests would suggest a closer level of
scrutiny.




A Microsoft spokesman told the Journal that the company is
"cooperating fully" and it looks "forward to addressing any
questions the FTC may have."


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Yuan Set for Biggest Weekly Advance Since End of Link to Dollar in 2005

(Bloomberg) -- The yuan was poised for its biggest
weekly advance since the end of its link to the U.S. dollar in
July 2005.

The yuan this week rose 0.36 percent to 7.6273 against the
dollar as of 9:42 a.m. in Shanghai. The currency, which is
allowed to rise or fall 0.5 percent either side of a daily
fixing rate, has gained 8.5 percent since China dropped the peg.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Bonds fall on mortgage selling, oil's surge

(Reuters) - Treasuries gave up the gains that resulted from Asian buying and benign comments on inflation by Chicago Federal Reserve President Michael Moskow as bids were awarded for the $4 billion sale of mortgage bonds by a Bear Stearns hedge fund, analysts said.




Bonds also were hurt by a surge in U.S. crude oil futures to a nine-month high, which added to lingering inflation worries.


Read more at Reuters.com Hot Stocks News

Japanese Government Bonds May Fall, Complete 4-Week Slide on U.S. Outlook

(Bloomberg) -- Japan's government bonds may drop, set
to complete a four-week slide, on speculation a U.S. consumer
price report will add to signs global inflation will accelerate.

Benchmark bonds may resume a 10-day drop that was interrupted
yesterday on expectations yields at the highest in almost a year
would lure investors such as life insurers. U.S. bonds slumped
yesterday after a producer-price report signaled that inflation in
the world's largest economy rose at a faster pace last month.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

BHP, Fortescue, Rio Tinto, Woodside Petroleum: Australian Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies
whose shares may rise or fall in Australia. This preview includes
news announced after markets closed yesterday. Prices are from
yesterday's close unless otherwise stated. Stock symbols are in
brackets after the company names.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index futures contract due in June added 0.5
percent to 6298 at 6:59 a.m. in Sydney. The Bank of New York
Australia ADR Index rose 0.4 percent in New York.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Investor group settles suit over CBOT merger

(Reuters) - CBOT, in a statement, said it was not a party to a settlement. A CME spokeswoman told Reuters it had reached a settlement.




A lawyer for LAMPERS, John Coffey of Bernstein Litowitz Berger and Grossman, told Reuters that a settlement had been reached that provides for "a release of CBOT and the directors and the resolution of the litigation."


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Lifting the Lid: Hedge funds stay under US SEC's radar

(Reuters) - This would be another blow to some lawmakers and regulators
who have been seeking, yet largely failing, to bring the
secretive industry out of the shadows.




The $1.5 trillion hedge fund industry is playing an
increasingly powerful role in financial markets, whether it is
funds calling for the ouster of poorly performing CEOs or
financing private equity takeovers.


Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

Cenveo to acquire printing firm ColorGraphics

(Reuters) - The deal is expected to add to earnings, Cenveo said in a
statement.





Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Goldman willing to take on exchanges, CFO says

(Reuters) - "I would say there are a lot of exchanges around the world
and, in certain places where we may think that exchanges are
not being competitive in the prices they charge us, we and
others in our industry might get together and try to form a
consortium that performs services in competition with certain
exchanges at better prices," Viniar said on a conference call
in response to an analyst question.




Viniar's comments come as the exchange business undergoes
sweeping changes. Member-owned markets worldwide have been
converting to for-profit companies with shareholders to please
and earnings goals to match.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Autodesk, Blackboard, Clearwire, Jones Soda: U.S. Equity Movers Final

(Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies
whose shares had unusual price changes in U.S. exchanges today.
Stock symbols are in parentheses after company names. Share
prices are as of 4 p.m. New York time.

Aluminum Corp. of China Ltd. American depositary receipts
(ACH US), each worth 25 H-shares of the China's largest maker of
the metal, rose $3.15, or 8.9 percent, to $38.75. Goldman Sachs
Group Inc. raised its rating on the stock to ``buy'' from
``neutral'' on soaring aluminum demand and prices.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Oil Rises to Nine-Month High on Gasoline-Supply Concerns, Iranian Tensions

(Bloomberg) -- Crude oil rose to a nine-month high
in New York on concern that U.S. refineries are failing to keep
up with growing gasoline demand, and after Iran said it isn't
willing to suspend its nuclear program.

Refineries operated at 89.2 percent of capacity last week,
the lowest since May 4 and the lowest utilization rate in 15
years for the second week in June, an Energy Department report
showed yesterday. Iran, the Middle East's second-largest producer
of crude oil, said its nuclear research is advancing. The U.S.
and its allies accuse Iran of developing nuclear weapons.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Autodesk, Blackboard, Furniture, Intersil, ITT, Oracle: U.S. Equity Movers

(Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies
whose shares are having unusual price changes in U.S. exchanges
today. Stock symbols are in parentheses after company names.
Share prices are as of 2:40 p.m. New York time.

Aluminum Corp. of China Ltd. American depositary receipts
(ACH US), each worth 25 H-shares of the China's largest maker of
the metal, rose $3.28, or 9.2 percent, to $38.88. Goldman Sachs
Group Inc. raised its rating on the stock to ``buy'' from
``neutral'' on soaring aluminum demand and prices.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

JPMorgan adds HSBC banking head to sponsors group

(Reuters) - At HSBC Holdings Plc, Foussianes was head of its Americas
Global Banking group, overseeing investment banking, corporate
banking, leveraged finance and private equity. He was
previously a managing director in the M&A group at Goldman
Sachs, focusing on industrials and natural resources, according
to the memo. HSBC hired him in April 2005.




JPMorgan's sponsors group also hired James Gray from UBS,
where he was a managing director and founding member of the UBS
Financial Sponsor Group, according to the memo.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

UPDATE 1-Johns Hopkins to pay to settle student-loan probe

(Reuters) - The settlement is the latest in a nationwide probe of
conflicts of interest in the $85 billion student loan industry.
Twenty-six schools and seven lenders, including Sallie Mae
, JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America ,
have reached agreements with New York Attorney General Andrew
Cuomo.




The latest agreement resulted from Cuomo's findings that
Ellen Frishberg, the director of student financial services at
Johns Hopkins, was improperly promoting a lender, Student Loan
Xpress, after the company paid her more than $65,000 in
consulting fees and other payments, the AG's office said.
Student Loan Xpress is now a unit of CIT Group Inc. .


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Johns Hopkins to pay to settle student-loan probe

(Reuters) - The settlement resulted from Cuomo's findings that Ellen
Frishberg, the director of student financial services at Johns
Hopkins University, was improperly promoting a lender, Student
Loan Xpress, after the company paid her more than $65,000 in
consulting fees and tuition payments, the AG's office said.




Student Loan Xpress is now a unit of CIT Group Inc.



Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

Blackboard, Furniture Brands, Intersil, ITT, Oracle: U.S. Equity Movers

(Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies
whose shares are having unusual price changes in U.S. exchanges
today. Stock symbols are in parentheses after company names.
Share prices are as of 1:10 p.m. New York time.

Aluminum Corp. of China Ltd. American depositary receipts
(ACH US), each worth 25 H-shares of the China's largest maker of
the metal, rose $2.71, or 7.6 percent, to $38.31. Goldman Sachs
Group Inc. raised its rating on the stock to ``buy'' from
``neutral'' on soaring aluminum demand and prices.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Ford says 27,000 workers have left company

(Reuters) - Ford, which last year offered United Auto Workers union employees buyout offers as part of its restructuring, has said 37,000 workers have accepted buyouts.



Ford spokeswoman Marcey Evans also said the automaker has about 700 workers in its 'jobs bank' -- a program that guarantees nearly full wages and benefits when the automaker eliminates work or closes factories.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

AT&T May Gain 915,000 Wireless Subscribers From Supplying Apple's IPhone

(Bloomberg) -- AT&T Inc. may gain as many as 915,000
new customers in the second half of this year as the sole
wireless service provider of Apple Inc.'s new iPhone, according
to Bear Stearns & Co.

Shares of San Antonio-based AT&T, the largest U.S. phone
company, added 68 cents, or 1.7 percent, to $40.66 at 12:23 p.m.
in New York Stock Exchange Composite trading.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

JPMorgan to build headquarters at NY's WTC site

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, June 14 - JP Morgan Chase & Co. agreed to build its investment banking headquarters in lower Manhattan at the site of the World Trade Center complex that was destroyed on Sept. 11, 2001, New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer said on Thursday.



Spitzer told a news conference JP Morgan will pay the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey $290 million for a 92-year lease and $10 million to the World Trade Center foundation and the church at the same site.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

U.S. 30-year mortgage rates highest since July

(Reuters) - The last time the rates were higher was the July 20 week in 2006, when they averaged 6.80 percent.




The 30-year mortgage rates, the benchmark for the mortgage industry, have surged by 0.59 of a percentage point from 6.15 percent in the week ending on May 15.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

UPDATE 1-Marriott to create new hotel brand

(Reuters) - Marriott, which manages nearly 2,900 hotels under brands
including Fairfield Inn and Ritz-Carlton, is partnering on the
as-yet-unnamed brand with Ian Schrager. The style entrepreneur
made his name in the late 1970s by creating the famed Studio 54
nightclub with the late Steve Rubell.




Marriott and Schrager aim to have five development deals
signed by the end of year and are seeking to open 100 hotels in
10 years.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Bear sees further impact from weak mortgage market

(Reuters) - "We're certainly going to be impacted in a weaker mortgage
market until the mortgage business turns back around. That's
going to be a little bit challenging," he said.




Mortgage defaults are rising in the U.S. Bear Stearns is
one of the largest underwriter of bonds backed by mortgages.
The firm tightened its underwriting standards during the most
recent quarter, which reduced the amount of loans to borrowers
with weaker credit, Molinaro said.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Russian Stocks Advance, Led by Gazprom, Rosneft: World's Biggest Mover

(Bloomberg) -- Russian stocks climbed, paced by OAO
Gazprom, OAO Rosneft and OAO Lukoil after oil futures gained in
New York.

The ruble-denominated Micex Index rose 3.2 percent to
1662.71, posting the biggest move among equity markets included
in global benchmarks. Twenty-six stocks advanced and four
retreated. The dollar-denominated RTS Index added 3.5 percent to
1870.11.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Canada's 10-Year Yield Rises as U.S. Producer Prices Hint Higher Rates

(Bloomberg) --The Canadian 10-year bond yield rose
near the highest since 2004 after a U.S. report showed inflation
in Canada's largest trading partner accelerated in May.

The yield on Canada's benchmark 10-year bond due June 2016
rose 1 basis point, or 0.01 percentage point, to 4.70 percent at
9:07 a.m. in Toronto. Price, which moves inversely to yield,
fell 8 cents to C$94.95. The yield reached a high on June 12
amid speculation of higher global interest rates to quell
inflationary pressure.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Telkom bounces 4 pct as market digests results

(Reuters) - Shares in South African fixed line operator Telkom recovered on Thursday, climbing by more than 4 percent as the market favourably digested the group's annual results and a possible divestment.

On Wednesday, Africa's biggest telecoms company posted a one percent decline in annual headline earnings per share, dented by a hike in operating expenses, sending its shares 1.93 percent lower.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Bear Stearns, Dow Jones, Hoku, QMed, Sanofi-Aventis: U.S. Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies
whose shares may have unusual price changes in U.S. exchanges
today. This preview includes news that broke after exchanges
closed yesterday. Stock symbols are in parentheses after company
names. Share prices are as of 9 a.m. New York time.

Aluminum Corp. of China Ltd. American depositary receipts
(ACH US), each worth 25 H-shares of the China's largest maker of
the metal, rose $2.92, or 8.2 percent, to $38.52 in trading
before U.S. exchanges opened. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its
rating on the stock to ``buy'' from ``neutral'' on soaring
aluminum demand and prices.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Interpublic gets Wells Notice in SEC probe

(Reuters) - Interpublic said the notice is considered a prerequisite to
negotiating a settlement with the SEC, under recently revised
procedures.




"This development is not unanticipated and we believe that
it moves us a step closer to resolution in this matter,"
Interpublic Chief Executive Michael Roth said in a statement.


Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

U.S. jobless claims unchanged at 311,000 last week

(Reuters) - The four-week moving average, a less volatile measure of
employment conditions, edged up to 311,250 from 307,500.




The number of workers continuing on benefits fell by 43,000
to 2.49 million for the week ended June 2, the most recent week
these figures were available. Economists were expecting to see
2.51 million continued claims.


Read more at Reuters.com Economic News

US STOCKS-Futures rise on steady yields, PPI on tap

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, June 14 - U.S. stock futures bounced
higher on Thursday as steady benchmark bond yields drove a
rebound in global equities, but the tone was cautious ahead of
a key inflation report.




Stocks to watch include investment banks, with Goldman
Sachs Group Inc and Bear Stearns Cos. Inc. due
to report quarterly results before the bell.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Algeria sees OPEC keeping output steady in September

(Reuters) - OPEC is expected to keep its oil output ceiling unchanged when it meets in September because the global crude market is well supplied, Algerian Energy and Mines Minister Chakib Khelil said on Thursday.

Khelil also told state radio that high oil prices were boosted by reduced refinery capacity, strong demand and geopolitical crises.


Read more at Reuters Africa

US STOCKS-Futures little changed ahead of PPI data

(Reuters) - Stocks to watch include investment banks, with Goldman
Sachs Group and Bear Stearns due to report
quarterly results before the bell.




Shares of Colgate-Palmolive Co. were down 0.3
percent in Europe after the company said counterfeit Colgate
toothpaste that may contain a toxic chemical had been found in
discount stores in four U.S. states. For details see
[nN14419213].


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

P&G to sell Japan adult diaper business to Daio

(Reuters) - Daio and P&G did not disclose financial terms.




P&G launched the Attento brand nationwide in 1982. Its diapers are now sold mainly in Japan, with some sold in Hong Kong. P&G does not sell adult diapers anywhere else.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Nikko out of race for Australia's RAMS - source

(Reuters) - Nikko, which is owned by Japan's Nikko Cordial Corp
, dropped out of the bidding after RAMS revised its
earnings forecast, a source told Reuters.




"There was a major earnings revision last week. It came
late in the process. Nikko came back with an alternative offer
which wasn't accepted," the source said.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Zambia to offer 25 oil, gas blocks in tender - finmin

(Reuters) - Zambia plans to offer 25 blocks for oil and gas exploration in a bidding round for international companies in the next few weeks, the finance minister said on Thursday.

The bidding round, Zambia's first, follows an announcement in October last year that the landlocked southern African country had discovered oil and gas reserves in the northwest of the country bordering oil-producing Angola.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Don't press us on yuan, China tells U.S. Senate

(Reuters) - The bill reflects growing frustration in Congress over the billowing U.S. trade deficit with China, which hit a record $233 billion in 2006.




Many lawmakers believe China's currency practices contribute to the deficit by giving Chinese companies an unfair edge in global markets.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Germany's DAX Index Increases; E.ON, Siemens, Bayer Lead Gaining Shares

(Bloomberg) -- German stocks advanced, led by E.ON
AG, Siemens AG and Bayer AG.

The benchmark DAX Index rose 77.52, or 1 percent, to 7758.28
as of 9:06 a.m. in Frankfurt. The HDAX Index of the country's 110
biggest companies climbed 1.1 percent.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Rand steady vs dollar, eyes US PPI data

(Reuters) - South Africa's rand was steady against the dollar on Thursday, and traders said the currency was likely be rangebound before U.S. producer price inflation data later in the session.

The rand was trading at 7.23 to the dollar at 0645 GMT, very close to its New York close of 7.2250 on Wednesday.


Read more at Reuters Africa

British Energy, Cadbury, Centrica May Move: U.K., Irish Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following stocks may rise or fall
in U.K. and Irish markets today. Stock symbols are in parentheses
and prices are from the last market close.

The benchmark FTSE 100 Index rose 39.20, or 0.6 percent, to
6559.60 in London. The FTSE All-Share Index rose 17.32, or 0.5
percent, to 3388.08.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News