Zeltia sees Yondelis on sale by year-end

(Reuters) - "This is excellent news," Zeltia Chairman Jose Maria
Fernandez Sousa said in a statement.




"Under the expected timeframe, many European patients may
have access to Yondelis before the end of the year," added
Zeltia.


Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

Terra Firma extends offer for EMI until July 29

(Reuters) - Earlier this week two possible counterbidders, Warner Music Group and Jim Fifield, said they had withdrawn from the battle.




Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Accor, Bourbon, Fleury Michon and Klepierre: French Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following stocks may rise or
fall on the Paris stock exchange. Symbols are in parentheses
after company names. Prices are from the last close.

French stocks advanced, led by Cap Gemini SA and Groupe
Danone SA. Eramet SA surged after a report in Les Echos that
Areva SA may buy a 37 percent stake.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

India's Satyam says FY08 margins to drop 125 bps

(Reuters) - Wage increases would impact margins by 350 basis points in
the July-September quarter, he said.




New York-listed Satyam , which specialises in
business software, reported a lower-than-expected 7 percent
rise in net profit for the fiscal first quarter ended June as a
stronger rupee dented margins. )


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

General Motors Narrows Sales Gap With Toyota on Higher Demand Outside U.S.

(Bloomberg) -- General Motors Corp. outsold Toyota
Motor Corp. in the second quarter, buoyed by sales in China and
Latin America, as it battles to maintain its 76-year reign as
the world's largest carmaker.

GM sold 2.405 million vehicles globally, compared with
Toyota's sales of 2.367 million, in the three months ended June
30, the carmakers said in separate statements. That cut Toyota's
lead in the first half to 42,000 vehicles from 88,000 in the
first quarter.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Hyundai Steel Workers Strike Over Pay at Two Plants; Production Disrupted

(Bloomberg) -- Hyundai Steel Co., South Korea's
second-largest steelmaker, said output was disrupted today at
two of its three local plants as unionized workers staged a
strike to demand higher pay.

The workers, asking for a rise of 8.2 percent, walked out
at the Incheon and Pohang mills, Chang Young Sik, a Hyundai
Steel spokesman, said by phone. Details of the disruption
weren't available. The company is offering 3.9 percent.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

South Korea Orders Garuda, Six Other Airlines to Improve Safety Standards

(Bloomberg) -- South Korea's transportation
ministry said it would bar PT Garuda Indonesia and six other
overseas airlines from flying to the country if they didn't
raise safety standards.

State-owned Iran Air, Cambodia's PMTair and Royal Khmer
Airlines Co. were also ordered to make improvements, Lee Kwang
Hee, a director at South Korea's Aviation Safety Oversight
Division said today. Problems included shortages of spare parts
or engineers, as well as a lack of safety manuals, Lee said.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

Australia's S&P/ASX Rises to a Record High, Led by BHP, Santos; ING Jumps

(Bloomberg) -- Australian stocks rose, pushing the
S&P/ASX 200 Index to a record. BHP Billiton Ltd. and Santos Ltd.
led gains as metals prices rose the most in almost six weeks and
oil traded at its highest in more than 11 months.

``Metals are responding to China's growth and speculation in
the sector about takeovers, so that's a plus for resources
stocks,'' said Hans Kunnen, who helps manage $107 billion at
Colonial First State Global Asset Management in Sydney. ``The
stars are aligned for another record close.''


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

UPDATE 3-AMD loses money but sales up, boosting shrs

(Reuters) - SAN FRANCISCO, July 19 - Advanced Micro Devices
Inc. posted a 13 percent rise in quarterly revenue on
Thursday, a surprise sign of recent success against rival Intel
Corp. that sparked a rally in the microchip maker's
shares despite its $600 million loss.




The third quarterly loss in a row reflected a grueling
price war with AMD's bigger rival, but the second-biggest maker
of computer microprocessors said gross profit margins had risen
from three months earlier and were still improving.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Microsoft profit up on Office, swallows Xbox charge

(Reuters) - Microsoft also slightly raised full-year earnings and revenue forecasts citing demand for new software products like its Windows Server 2008.




The company said on Thursday net profit was $3.04 billion, or 31 cents per diluted share, in its fiscal fourth quarter, up from $2.83 billion, or 28 cents per diluted share, a year earlier. Sales rose 13 percent to $13.4 billion.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Sanofi flu vaccine plant to triple US production

(Reuters) - The vaccine arm of Sanofi-Aventis is the only U.S.-based
producer of injectable flu vaccine. The plant will produce 150
million doses a year after the new 140,000-square-foot facility comes on line by 2010.




The $150 million facility will also be capable of producing
vaccine against pandemic strains of flu. Experts expect a
pandemic of influenza of some sort and the No. 1 suspect is the
H5N1 avian flu virus, which has so far infected 318 people and
killed 192 of them.


Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

Ventana posts flat profit on Roche bid costs

(Reuters) - Excluding items, it earned 22 cents per share.




Wall Street analysts had been expecting 18 cents per share,
according to Reuters Estimates.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

AMD posts Q2 loss

(Reuters) - AMD, which has lost money for three quarters in a row amid
a price war with rival Intel Corp. , also said it had
stopped its market share losses and improved profit margins.




"It's still a company that's very troubled, but the
starting point is much better than what people have
recognized," said American Technology Research analyst Doug
Freedman.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

UPDATE 1-Texan questioned about Russian hunting trip

(Reuters) - Duncan, 74, co-founder and chairman of Enterprise Products
Partners, a big pipeline company, appeared before the panel on
Wednesday to answer questions about a helicopter hunting trip
he and others took with Russian guides five years ago.




Duncan told the Houston Chronicle he shot and killed a
moose and a sheep from a helicopter, a practice he did not know
was illegal in Russia. Neither animal is considered an
endangered species.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Quest Energy Partners files for 8.75 mln unit IPO

(Reuters) - The company did not reveal in the filing the expected price
range of the common units.




It plans to list the units on the Nasdaq under the symbol
"QELP" .


Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

China-bashing used inappropriately - IMF economist

(Reuters) - Johnson said China, now the world's fourth-largest economy,
should be given more credit for its contribution to global
growth and poverty reduction.




"China is being used excessively and inappropriately by
politicians as a way to play the protectionist card," said
Johnson, who joined the fund in late March.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Cytec second-quarter earnings climb

(Reuters) - In the latest quarter, excluding items the company posted
earnings of $56.6 million, or $1.15 a share.




Last month, Goldman Sachs added Cytec to its Americas
investment buy list, saying that the company is poised to
benefit from lower fixed costs and selective pricing
increases.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Google profit disappoints on expenses, shares drop

(Reuters) - SAN FRANCISCO, July 19 - Web search leader Google Inc. reported on Thursday a 28 percent rise in profits that fell short of consensus expectations, as a recent jump in operating expenses offset market share gains against rivals.



Shares tumbled 5.5 percent in extended trade after Google said net income rose to $925 million, or $2.93 a diluted share, compared with the year-ago quarter's $721.1 million, or $2.33 per share. Excluding one-time items and stock option expenses, Google posted a profit of $1.12 billion or $3.56 per share, which was 3 cents per share short of Wall Street targets.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Puerto Rico's Doral closes sale to Bear-led group

(Reuters) - San Juan-based Doral had been Puerto Rico's largest
mortgage lender before accounting problems forced it to restate
2000 to 2004 results. It had said it needed new financing to
help repay $625 million of debt due on July 20. The company had
said it would likely seek bankruptcy protection if it failed.




Doral said its shares will continue to trade on the New
York Stock Exchange under the "DRL" symbol. Its shares closed
Thursday down 3 cents at $1.15.



Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Stocks rally, dollar near lows vs. euro

(Reuters) - In the session's final half hour of trading, the Dow flirted with levels above the 14,000 mark. On Tuesday, it crossed the 14,000 milestone for the first time and set a new lifetime high at 14,021.95.




The dollar traded near record lows against the euro on concerns about the health of the U.S. housing market, with investors pondering the Federal Reserve's next interest-rate move.


Read more at Reuters.com Hot Stocks News

PMC-Sierra posts smaller 2nd-quarter net loss

(Reuters) - Revenue fell to $104.7 million from $118.8 million a year
ago.




Read more at Reuters.com Market News

RPT-UPDATE 1-BHP no longer considering Alcoa bid - report

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, July 19 - BHP Billiton
is no longer considering making an offer for Alcoa , The
Australian newspaper reported on Thursday, citing unnamed
sources, pushing Alcoa shares down more than 7 percent.




Sources have previously told Reuters, and it was widely
reported, that BHP had been considering the idea of making
offers for Alcoa and Alcan Inc. , the Canadian company
that just fought off a hostile bid from Alcoa by agreeing to a
friendly deal with Rio Tinto .


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Ex-press baron Black faces battle to retain freedom

(Reuters) - The statements came in a motion filed prior to a hearing on whether the 62-year-old member of Britain's House of Lords should remain free until he is sentenced on November 30 following his conviction on fraud and obstruction charges.




Judge Amy St. Eve of U.S. District Court in Chicago was to consider the issue at for 3:30 PM .


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Goodman Global hires Goldman, mulls options-sources

(Reuters) - "As a matter of practice, we do not comment on any rumors,"
said Goodman spokeswoman Sue Ellen Nutt. Goldman Sachs declined
to comment. Apollo did not respond to a request seeking
comment.




Sources said that private equity firms are pursuing the
company, though the process that Goldman is running is in its
early stages.



Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Mexico stocks up; builders lead on transport plan

(Reuters) - The benchmark IPC stock index rose 0.82 percent to
32,148 points, while the peso firmed 0.06
percent to 10.746 per dollar.




President Felipe Calderon unveiled a package on Wednesday
to pour $37 billion into infrastructure over the next five
years. The plan sees private investment providing a big chunk
of the capital, though the government would put up about half
of the money spent on roads.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

US clarifies anti-money laundering enforcement rules

(Reuters) - Banks and credit unions must have proper internal controls,
independent testing of anti-money laundering programs, a
program coordinator and a staff training program. A
cease-and-desist order could be issued if they fail to
establish and maintain a reasonably designed program or correct
a previous problem, regulators said.




The guidance was issued by the Office of the Comptroller of
the Currency, Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation, Office of Thrift Supervision and the National
Credit Union Administration.


Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

UPDATE 2-Fairchild Semiconductor quarterly profit falls

(Reuters) - Fairchild said that net profit for its second quarter was
$3.4 million, or 3 cents per share, compared with $23 million,
or 18 cents per share, a year earlier.




Fairchild reported $5.5 million in restructuring charges
and impairment charges as well as $3.3 million in charges
related to legal and accounting charges.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Con-way CEO says LTL pricing already bottomed out

(Reuters) - CHICAGO, July 19 - Trucking company Con-way Inc. does not expect prices to fall further in the less-than-truckload market during the remainder of 2007, the company's top executive said on Thursday.



"We're not expecting further deterioration at this point," Chief Executive Doug Stotlar said in a phone interview. "The weak pricing environment will have an impact on our yields."


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

WRAPUP 1-Subprime losses could cost $100 billion-Bernanke

(Reuters) - "The credit losses associated with subprime have come to
light and they are fairly significant," Bernanke told the
Senate Banking Committee in a second day of testimony on the
Fed's twice-yearly economic report.




"Some estimates are in the order of between $50 billion and
$100 billion of losses associated with subprime credit
problems," he said, referring to a segment of the mortgage
market that caters to borrowers with shaky credit.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

UPDATE 2-Fed's Moskow says inflation fight not over

(Reuters) - PHILADELPHIA, July 19 - With headline inflation
back on the upswing, the risk of inflation staying too high is
greater than the risk of growth falling too low, Chicago
Federal Reserve President Michael Moskow said on Thursday.




"Though total inflation was trending down late last year,
it is now back on the upswing," Moskow said in remarks prepared
for delivery to a Global Interdependence Center luncheon.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Humble roots no hurdle for Mexico's Cemex

(Reuters) - For Mexico's Cemex , which this week
became the world's biggest building materials company by
revenue, the success is more unlikely given its roots in a
developing country with limited access to funds for growth.




But since 1906, when its Hidalgo plant opened, Cemex has
defied skeptical investors and weathered Mexico's financial
crises to buy more than 20 companies in the past two decades.
The latest, Australia's Rinker for $15.3 billion
including debt, was the biggest takeover by a Mexican company.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

U.S. House-passed GSE bill worrying - Bernanke

(Reuters) - Bernanke and other regulators have expressed concern that
the two mortgage finance companies' investment portfolio of
mortgages is dangerously bloated.




"One might imagine a situation where greatly increasing the
size of the GSE portfolio is in the interest of the company but
raises the risk of the overall system," he said. "I fear that
without some consideration of the overall financial stability
implications that this new regulator would be incomplete."


Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

Egyptian bourse inches up, led by Raya and CIB

(Reuters) - Main Egyptian stock indexes rose on Thursday as shares in technology and communications firm Raya surged following an offer by Orascom Telecom to buy all issued shares in the firm, traders said.

Raya shares surged 5.5 percent to close at 13.01 Egyptian pounds, higher than the 12 pounds per share that Orascom was offering to pay for Raya. Raya's chairman has described the offer as naive.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Yen Drops to Near Record Low Against Euro as Rising Stocks Spur Risky Bets

(Bloomberg) -- The yen fell to near a record low
against the euro as gains in global stocks encouraged investors
to buy risky assets funded by loans in Japan.

Investors put on so-called carry trades amid waning concern
that financial firms will suffer mounting losses from holdings
of debt backed by U.S. subprime mortgages. The yen briefly pared
its decline after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke, in
testimony to the Senate Banking Committee, said there will
``clearly'' be losses on subprime-backed debt.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

UPDATE 1-WESCO International Q2 profit up, misses Street view

(Reuters) - Second-quarter earnings at the Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania-based company rose to $1.17 a share from $1.05 a
share in the year-ago period, but fell 8 percent below average
analysts' expectations of $1.27 a share, before items.




Quarterly consolidated net sales at the company, which in
April forecast the second half of 2007 to be stronger than the
first six months, rose about 14 percent to $1.51 billion.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

JPMorgan Says `Worst Is Not Over' for Subprime Bonds, With Losses to 2008

(Bloomberg) -- Subprime mortgage defaults will
increase this year and holders of securities linked to those
home loans may experiences losses well into 2008, JPMorgan Chase
& Co. analysts said.

``The worst is not over in the subprime mortgage market,''
analysts led by Chris Flanagan, the head of structured finance
strategy, said in a report today. ``We expect continued
deterioration in subprime loan performance through the balance
of this year, and it is likely to be well into 2008 before the
problems in securitized portfolios begin to abate.''


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Bernanke-decline in home value could hurt spending

(Reuters) - The chairman told the Senate Banking Committee that
"Consumers respond to changes in the value of their home
essentially because there is a change in their wealth not
because there is a change in their access to liquid assets."




Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Bernanke-More data needed to assess inflation climate

(Reuters) - He also said that inflation expectations are imperfectly
anchored. "I think that we have made tremendous progress but
there is still some imperfect degree in terms of which those
expectations are completely tied down," he said.




Read more at Reuters.com Economic News

US STOCKS-Indexes rise on profit reports

(Reuters) - The Dow Jones industrial average was up 78.12
points, or 0.56 percent, at 13,996.34. The Standard & Poor's
500 Index was up 6.83 points, or 0.44 percent, at
1,553.00. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 19.50
points, or 0.72 percent, at 2,718.99.




Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Fed considering range of rules for mortgage lending

(Reuters) - Bernanke warned that rules to improve disclosure and to make sure that a borrower is able to afford a loan are difficult to craft. "It's hard to put into a rule exactly what criteria one would use to decide if a mortgage is affordable or not," he said.




Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Illinois Tool posts higher profit, raises outlook

(Reuters) - CHICAGO, July 19 - Diversified manufacturer Illinois Tool Works Inc. on Thursday posted a higher quarterly profit and raised its full-year financial forecast as demand overseas offset weakness in North America.



Net income in the second quarter rose almost 9 percent to $505.6 million, or 90 cents a share, compared with $465.9 million, or 81 cents a share, in the year-earlier quarter.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

First Republic holders get more time on Merrill deal options

(Reuters) - In January, Merrill had agreed to buy First Republic, which
caters to the rich, and specializes in luxury home lending, for
$1.8 billion.





Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

Pricing lifts Union Pacific quarterly profit

(Reuters) - "You have to take your hat off to Union Pacific, they delivered a great quarter in the face of a difficult economic environment," said Shawn Campbell, a principal of Chattanooga, Tennessee-based Campbell Asset Management, which manages assets of around $100 million and follows Union Pacific.




The Omaha, Nebraska-based company reported second-quarter net income of $446 million, or $1.65 a share, compared with $390 million, or $1.44 a share, a year earlier.


Read more at Reuters.com Hot Stocks News

UPDATE 1-Media General Q2 profit falls on weak ad sales

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, July 19 - Media General Inc. reported a 75 percent drop in profit on Thursday, hurt by declines in advertising revenue at its newspapers, particularly at The Tampa Tribune.



The company, which also publishes the Richmond Times-Dispatch and owns several television stations, expects weak revenue from classified advertising sales to put pressure its publishing division in the third quarter.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Sherwin-Williams posts higher quarterly profit

(Reuters) - The biotechnology company, in a statement, said it had originally anticipated a decision by this time. It said it hopes a decision would come within the next 60 to 90 days.



In October, the regulators denied Cytomedix's claim that AutoloGel was substantially equivalent to a legally marketed device.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Harley-Davidson net up but hints at production cut

(Reuters) - Sales rose 17.7 percent to $1.62 billion.




Analysts, on average, had expected the Milwaukee-based company to earn $1.13 a share on sales of $1.64 billion, according to Reuters Estimates.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

BB&T second-quarter profit rises

(Reuters) - The Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based company said net income rose to $458 million, or 83 cents per share, from $429 million, or 79 cents a share, a year earlier.



Excluding items, operating profit rose to $461 million, or 83 cents per share, from $430 million, or 79 cents a share.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

UPDATE 1-PNC Financial second-quarter profit rises

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, July 19 - PNC Financial Services Group Inc. , a fast-growing Northeast U.S. regional bank, said on Thursday that second-quarter profit rose, helped by acquisitions and growth in existing businesses. Net income for the Pittsburgh-based company rose to $423 million from $381 million. Earnings per share fell to $1.22 from $1.28 because PNC had more shares outstanding.



Adjusted earnings rose to $434 million from $386 million, and fell to $1.25 from $1.30 on a per-share basis.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

UPDATE 1-BB&T profit up 7 pct, record fees offset bad loans

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, July 19 - BB&T Corp , a large U.S. Southeast bank, said on Thursday second-quarter profit rose 7 percent, matching analysts' forecasts, as record fee-based revenue helped offset increased loan losses.



The Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based company said net income rose to $458 million, or 83 cents per share, from $429 million, or 79 cents, a year earlier.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

UPDATE 1-Paragon Shipping files for $201.3 mln IPO

(Reuters) - UBS Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. Inc. and Cantor
Fitzgerald & Co. were underwriting the IPO, the drybulk
shipping services provider told the U.S Securities and Exchange
Commission.




The company, which intends to apply for listing Class A
Common Shares on the Nasdaq under the symbol "PRGN," said it
plans to use part of its net proceeds to fund a portion of the
purchase price of three additional drybulk carriers and to
repay up to $108.3 million of debt under its existing credit
facility.


Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

Vattenfall Halts Brunsbuettel Nuclear Power Plant to Repair Screw Anchors

(Bloomberg) -- Vattenfall Europe AG, Germany's
fourth-largest utility, halted its Brunsbuettel nuclear plant for
repairs to screw anchors.

The 771-megawatt reactor will remain offline until
investigations and repairs are complete, the Social Ministry of
the state of Schleswig-Holstein, where the facility is based,
said today in an e-mailed statement. Faults were discovered with
screw anchors holding pipes in place, the ministry said.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

Tin Rises to 18-Year High on Production-Shortfall Concern; Zin Advances

(Bloomberg) -- Tin led gains in London, rising to
the highest since at least 1989, on speculation that supply
disruptions in Indonesia and Bolivia and increasing demand will
create a shortage of the metal. Lead climbed to a record.

Smelters in Indonesia, the world's second-largest tin
producer, after China, have been restarting production following
a government crackdown on illegal mining earlier this year. The
Bolivian government seized a smelter owned by Swiss commodity
trader Glencore International AG in February.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Hershey 2nd-quarter profit falls on rising costs

(Reuters) - The chocolate maker posted profit of $3.6 million, or 1 cent a share, in the second quarter, compared with $97.9 million, or 41 cents a share, a year earlier.



Excluding one-time charges, earnings were 35 cents a share, matching the average analyst estimate posted by Reuters Estimates.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

UPDATE 1-Baxter quarterly net rises as sales climb 7 pct

(Reuters) - The Deerfield, Illinois-based company, which also makes
hospital products and kidney dialysis equipment, raised its
outlook for the year, forecasting earnings per share of $2.65
to $2.70, with sales up 4 percent to 5 percent.




Baxter said second-quarter net earnings were $431 million,
or 65 cents per diluted share, compared with $309 million, or
47 cents per share, in the year-ago quarter.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Danaher second-quarter net profit declines

(Reuters) - Second-quarter net income fell to $311.2 million, or 96 cents a share, from $314.5 million, or 98 cents per share, a year earlier.



Excluding items, earnings rose to 94 cents a share from 80 cents.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Enthrust Financial files for $86.25 mln offering

(Reuters) - The filing did not reveal how many shares the company
planned to sell or their expected price.




The company, whose common stock currently trades on the OTC
Bulletin Board under the symbol "EFSV.OB," plans to apply to
list its common stock on the Nasdaq under the symbol "RODM."



Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

Zimbabwe scraps fuel scheme as crisis deepens

(Reuters) - Zimbabwe has scrapped a scheme allowing fuel purchases with foreign currency, removing one of the few remaining ways for people to acquire petrol in a country struggling with a crumbling economy.

The facility is also used by foreign diplomats and officials working for international aid organisations.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Harry Potter Fans Bet Boy Wizard Kills Self in Final Book as Wagering Ends

(Bloomberg) -- Author J.K. Rowling cried when she
wrote the seventh and final Harry Potter book. She may soon be
joined by millions of fans, given the surge in wagers on Harry
ending the story by killing himself.

William Hill Plc, a London-based bookmaker, closed bets on
Harry sacrificing himself at 2/5 odds on July 17, cut from an
original quote of 33/1 in early July. Lord Voldemort, who
murdered Potter's parents, is at 9/4 to kill Harry, and Professor
Severus Snape is at 4/1 odds to murder him. The bookmaker took
more than 50,000 pounds ($100,000) in bets on Harry's fate, the
first time in the company's history it had ever bet on a book.


Read more at Bloomberg Exclusive News

U.S. Stock-Index Futures Rise; IBM, Microsoft, Motorola Climb in Europe

(Bloomberg) -- U.S. stock-index futures gained as
investors speculated a flurry of second-quarter earnings reports
today will show profits are holding up amid an economic slowdown.

International Business Machines Corp. advanced in Europe
after the world's biggest computer-services company increased its
annual earnings forecast after beating analysts' quarterly
estimates. Microsoft Corp., the largest software maker, and
Motorola Inc., the second-biggest mobile-phone maker, rose before
posting earnings.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European Government Bonds Fall on Speculation Growth Will Remain Resilient

(Bloomberg) -- European government bonds fell as
waning concern that defaults on U.S. subprime mortgages will hurt
the wider economy prompted investors to seek higher yields on
riskier assets such as stocks and emerging market debt.

Benchmark 10-year debt dropped, pushing yields up from a
week low, as shares in Asia rallied after a Chinese report that
showed the economy grew at the fastest pace in 12 years and as
European equities rose. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke
yesterday predicted growth will pick up ``a bit'' next year.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

UPDATE 1-TPG plans to buy control in Russian grocer -paper

(Reuters) - The newspaper quoted sources close to Seventh Continent as
saying TPG, from the United States, would be prepared to invest
another $5-$7 billion in the chain over the next decade if the
deal goes ahead.




The deal, to buy 50 percent of the holding company that owns
75 percent of Seventh Continent, might close on Sept. 3. The
sellers would be the main owners of the chain, Vladimir Gruzdev
and Alexander Zanadvorov, Kommersant said.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Nedbank shares surge on StanChart talks report

(Reuters) - Shares in South Africa's fourth-biggest bank, Nedbank Group Ltd, jumped six percent on Thursday after a report that Standard Chartered was in talks to acquire the group.

Nedbank shares rose as much as 6.25 percent to 144.50 rand, adding 3.9 billion rand to its market value, after Business Day quoted unnamed sources as saying the South African bank had been in talks with Standard Chartered for some time.


Read more at Reuters Africa

European Stocks Advance; SAP, Roche Holding and Vodafone Pace the Gains

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks rose for the first
time in three days, led by technology companies after Germany's
SAP AG and International Business Machines Corp. of the U.S.
reported earnings and sales that beat analysts' estimates.

Shares of Roche Holding AG rallied on better-than-expected
profit for the world's biggest maker of cancer medicine. Vodafone
Group Plc gained after the world's largest mobile-phone company
increased subscribers.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

UPDATE 1-Malaysia's CIMB sees fewer banks in near term

(Reuters) - Malaysia, with nine local banking groups, wants its banks
to merge and become bigger as the government opens up its
financial sector to foreign lenders.




That number could shrink to as few as five lending groups
in the near future, CIMB Chief Executive Nazir Razak said.
CIMB, the operating arm of state-controlled financial group
Bumiputra-Commerce Holdings Bhd , acquired smaller
rival Southern Bank for $1.8 billion in May last year .


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News