Axa, Total, Danone, Partouche, L'Oreal May Move: French Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- Shares of the following companies may
rise or fall on the Paris stock exchange. Symbols are in
parentheses after company names and prices are from the last
close.

July futures on the benchmark CAC 40 Index advanced 56.5 to
6005 at 8:14 a.m. in Paris.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

S.Africa unions to announce strike decision on Thursday

(Reuters) - Unions representing most of South Africa's civil servants said they would announce on Thursday their response to a government wage offer, raising hopes the end was in sight to a crippling four-week strike.

The COSATU labour federation said it was meeting on Wednesday evening and would reconvene on Thursday, with a news conference to announce the outcome scheduled for 0900 GMT.


Read more at Reuters Africa

U.S. Economy Probably Grew at 0.8% Pace in First Quarter as Housing Sank

(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. economy probably grew at an
annual pace of 0.8 percent in the first quarter, the weakest in
four years as housing slumped, economists said before a
government report today.

The projected gain in gross domestic product compares with
a preliminary estimate of 0.6 percent issued last month, revised
figures from the Commerce Department may show. The forecast is
based on the median estimate of 73 economists surveyed by
Bloomberg News.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

CORRECTED - CORRECTED-Yamana, Northern seek three-way gold merger

(Reuters) - Under the deal, Norther Orion shareholders would receive
0.543 of a Yamana share, or C$7.07 based on Yamana's Wednesday
closing price. Meridian shareholders would receive 2.235 of a
Yamana share plus C$3.15 in cash, totaling C$32.25 per share,
Yamana and Northern said.




Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Oil Extends Gains as Drop in U.S. Gasoline Stocks Prompts Supply Concerns

(Bloomberg) -- Crude oil rose in New York, extending
yesterday's $1-a-barrel gain, on concern that U.S. gasoline
supplies during the peak demand season may not be adequate after
a government report showed an unexpected decline in inventories.

Crude oil for August delivery rose as much as 36 cents, or
0.5 percent, to $69.33 a barrel in after-hours electronic trading
on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It was at $69.26 at 11:30
a.m. in Singapore.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

Khazanah Sells $850 Million of Islamic Bonds Convertible to Plus Shares

(Bloomberg) -- Khazanah Nasional Bhd., Malaysia's
state investment arm, sold $850 million of Islamic bonds that can
be converted into shares of the country's biggest toll-road
operator in the nation's biggest offer of convertible securities.

Khazanah increased the sale of the five-year exchangeable
bonds from $600 million because it received orders for 13 times
the amount of debt on offer, the company said in a statement last
night. The investment unit owns about 24 percent of PLUS
Expressways Bhd., the toll-road company.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

RPT-Visa to sponsor 2010 and 2014 World Cups

(Reuters) - Visa said it is the sixth and final top tier FIFA partner.




Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News