UPDATE 1-Israel's Bank Hapoalim Q1 net profit down 46 pct

(Reuters) - Hapoalim recorded net profit of 635 million shekels or 0.50 shekel per share, compared with 1.177 billion
shekels, or 0.93 shekel a share, a year earlier.




Analysts polled by Reuters on average had expected net
profit of 707 million shekels.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Aegon says to start joint venture in China

(Reuters) - Aegon , a Chinese mutual fund manager with approximately 1.7 billion euros in assets under management.



)


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Indian Government Bonds Drop on Concern Central Bank May Remove Spare Cash

(Bloomberg) -- India's bonds fell on concern the
central bank will drain surplus cash from the banking system in
coming weeks to contain inflation, leaving investors with less
money to buy debt.

Benchmark 10-year yields rose from the lowest in more than
a month as the Reserve Bank of India may sell debt or take other
measures to absorb excess cash. India's central bank drained 180
billion rupees ($4.45 billion) this month from the banking
system by selling bonds and treasury bills.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Tishman, Lehman near deal for Archstone-Smith: report

(Reuters) - Shares of Archstone rose about 8 percent on Friday after reports that Tishman and Archstone were in discussions about a transaction, the report said. The U.S. financial markets were closed on Monday for the Memorial Day holiday.




Lehman, Tishman and Archstone-Smith could not be immediately reached for comment.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

TREASURIES-Fall in Asia on JGB slide, data eyed

(Reuters) - Investors also shied away from Treasuries ahead of economic
growth figures, the Fed's favourite inflation gauge, and
unemployment data towards the end of the week. The data is
expected to give more clues regarding the central bank's future
monetary policy.




Receding expectations that the Fed will cut the funds rate
later this year from a current 5.25 percent have boosted 10-year
yields by about a quarter percentage point so far this month.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Indonesia's Tin Output to Reach 90,000 Tons This Year, Official Forecasts

(Bloomberg) -- Indonesia, the world's second-largest
tin producer, expects to produce 90,000 tons of the metal this
year, the energy and mining resources ministry said.

The Southeast Asian country will export 75,600 tons of the
metal in 2007, Simon Sembiring, director general of coal and
mineral resources, said in Jakarta today.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Gold Trades Little Changed Near Two-Month Low in Asia, Silver Declines

(Bloomberg) -- Gold was little changed near a two-
month low in Asia amid speculation holidays in the northern
hemisphere yesterday reduced investor demand for the precious
metal. Silver fell.

Gold yesterday traded in a range of $654.95 to $657.58, its
most narrow trading range since April 6, as investors lacked
direction from major markets in the U.S. and U.K. Gold traded at
a two-month low of $652.01 on May 24.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News