Gold extends gains, weak yen lifts Tokyo

(Reuters) - Cash gold extended gains on Friday on steady bargain hunting, which, combined with a weak yen -- hovering at a 4- year low against the dollar -- also helped lift Tokyo futures.

While some dealers said gold's prospect looked a bit brighter since it recovered from a three-month low of $642.90 hit on Wednesday, others were of the view that the precious metal could come under pressure again.


Read more at Reuters Africa

RPT-Spain's Portland mulls Texas Industries buy -paper

(Reuters) - The paper said Portland had for some time been studying the
acquisition of TXI, market leader in Texas and with a presence
in California, after buying two Spanish producers last year.




Expansion said Portland declined to comment on the report.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Yen Falls Against Euro, New Zealand Dollar After BOJ Leaves Rate Unchanged

(Bloomberg) -- The yen fell to a one-week low
against the euro on speculation Bank of Japan Governor Toshihiko
Fukui will signal plans to raise the overnight lending rate only
gradually after leaving it unchanged today.

The currency also slid against the New Zealand and
Australian dollars after policy makers unanimously decided to
keep the benchmark rate at 0.5 percent for a fifth meeting.
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.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Value of Japan Households' Mutual Funds and Bonds Increases to Record High

(Bloomberg) -- The value of mutual funds and bonds
held by Japanese households surged to a record last quarter, as
the lowest interest rates among major economies prompted
individuals to shift money from savings accounts in search of
higher returns.

Mutual funds held by households rose 5.2 percent to 68
trillion yen ($552 billion) in the three months ended March 31,
the Bank of Japan said in its quarterly flow of funds report in
Tokyo today. Bonds owned by households climbed 3.2 percent to 33
trillion yen.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

UPDATE 2-Steel Partners raises Bull-Dog Sauce bid by 7 pct

(Reuters) - It will also extend its tender offer until Aug 10. The
previous offer, at 1,584 yen per share, was set to expire on June
28.




Steel Partners said it sought an injunction from the Tokyo
District Court on Wednesday to bar the Worcestershire sauce maker
and its directors from activating takeover defence measures.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

U.S. Treasuries Head for Sixth Weekly Decline Before Consumer Price Report

(Bloomberg) -- U.S. Treasuries headed for a sixth
weekly decline as a government report today will probably show
inflation quickened last month.

Regular 10-year notes yielded about 2.47 percentage points
more than 10-year Treasury Inflation Protected Securities, near
the widest since April, a sign of increasing demand for notes
that hedge against rising prices. A Labor Department report may
show the consumer price index rose 0.6 percent in May, from 0.4
percent in April, according to a Bloomberg News survey.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

South Korea's Kospi Is Little Changed; SK Corp. Rises, LG.Philips Falls

(Bloomberg) -- South Korea's Kospi index swung
between gains and losses. SK Corp. rose after Daewoo Securities
Co. said earnings will improve on strong refining margins.

LG.Philips LCD Co. declined as some investors judged recent
gains excessive.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Australian Stocks Climb, Led by BHP, Woodside on Higher Commodity Prices

(Bloomberg) -- Australian stocks rose for a second
day. BHP Billiton Ltd. and Woodside Petroleum Ltd. led resources
stocks higher after prices of commodities including copper and
crude oil increased.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index climbed 30.10, or 0.5 percent, to
6291.30 as of 10:13 a.m. in Sydney. About 11 stocks rose for every
five that fell.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Hynix, Kumho Tire, Samsung SDI, Seha Corp.: South Korea Stock Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following shares may rise or fall
in South Korea. Prices refer to the previous close. This preview
includes news announced after markets shut yesterday. Stock
symbols are in brackets after the company names.

The Kospi index jumped 2.7 percent to a record 1769.18. The
Kosdaq climbed 2.3 percent to 783.02. Kospi 200 futures expiring
in June added 2.8 percent to 224.46, while the underlying index
advanced 2.7 percent to 224.46.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Hollywood hits, Barbie push toy stocks higher

(Reuters) - Hot properties such as Walt Disney Co.'s "Cheetah
Girls" -- along with steady nourishment from Hollywood courtesy
of "Spider-Man 3" and "Transformers" -- have whetted investors'
appetite for toy shares through the first half of the year.




And with the strong first-quarter performances overseas of
Mattel Inc.'s Barbie and Hasbro Inc.'s Littlest
Petshop, the world's two largest toy makers have both seen
their shares rally, analysts told Reuters this week.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Coffee Falls in New York on Speculation Weather Will Help Brazil Harvest

(Bloomberg) -- Coffee futures fell in New York as
the threat of frost in Brazil receded, raising expectations that
good weather will help this year's harvest.

There are no freezing temperatures forecast for coffee-
growing areas in Brazil, the world's largest producer, according
to Meteorlogix LLC of Woburn, Massachusetts. The country's
harvest runs through October.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Atari says to delay filing annual report

(Reuters) - Excluding the charge, the company would have a net loss of
about $17.2 million, or $1.28 per share. Net revenue for the
year was about $121.6 million, Atari said.





Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

ECB's Weber says policy stance far from restrictive

(Reuters) - The medium-term growth outlook for both Germany and the
euro zone is favourable, but this brings with it upward
inflation pressures, Weber said in the text of a speech
prepared for delivery to London's German-British Chamber of
Industry and Commerce.




"Against this backdrop of the positive economic environment
in the euro area, our monetary policy stance is still on the
accommodative side and far from being restrictive," said Weber,
who is president of the Bundesbank.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Mexican stocks rise after moderate U.S. price data

(Reuters) - The benchmark IPC stock index advanced 0.72 percent
to 32,114.09 points, while the peso firmed 0.43
percent in local trading to 10.887 per dollar.




The U.S. Labor Department said the U.S. Producer Price
Index rose 0.9 percent in May, but that excluding volatile food
and energy costs, prices paid at the factory gate were up a
moderate 0.2 percent.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Publicis buys 49 pct stake in Business Interactif

(Reuters) - Publicis said it then intended to launch, within the next few weeks, a mixed public offer for the remaining capital of Business Interactif at 10.10 euros per share, representing a premium of 9.8 percent on Business Interactif's closing share price on Thursday.



"10.10 euros per share represents a premium of 23.3 percent and 34.7 percent to the three-month and six-month weighted average price of Business Interactif shares respectively, prior to the press rumours of last April 16," Publicis said.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Renault to sell part of French retail network-paper

(Reuters) - More details about the plan or the sourcing of Les Echos's report were not immediately available on Thursday.



) Keywords: RENAULT/


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

First Data puts trade draw attention before deal

(Reuters) - CHICAGO, June 14 - Put trading in First Data Corp. was heavy this week as investors appeared to protect themselves should Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.'s planned acquisition of the company fall apart.



First Data, which processes credit and debit card payments, said in April it agreed to a takeover by KKR for about $26 billion, one of the largest leveraged buyouts ever.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Colombia's Peso Increases From Three-Week Low as Risk Appetite May Return

(Bloomberg) -- Colombia's peso rallied from a three-
week low on speculation investors may buy riskier, emerging-
market assets after U.S. Treasury yields fell from a five-year
high.

``The stabilization of the U.S. Treasury markets helped the
peso,'' said Julian Cardenas, an analyst at Bogota-based
brokerage Corredores Asociados. ``Investors who got out of the
market a few days ago may find it's a good opportunity to re-
enter the market.''


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

UPDATE 1-Cerberus offers to buy Germany's RAG

(Reuters) - RAG confirmed that German politicians who approved on
Wednesday a flotation of RAG's non-coal businesses knew of an
offer from Cerberus worth 6-8 billion euros and that additional
offers from financial investors were also expected.




Cerberus declined to comment.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Venezuelan Bonds Advance on Report Government Will Buy Back Foreign Debt

(Bloomberg) -- Venezuelan bonds surged after a
Caracas-based newspaper reported that the government is
considering buying back debt that contains clauses requiring it
to remain a member of the International Monetary Fund.

The government's 9 1/4 percent dollar bonds due in 2027
jumped 1.25 cents on the dollar to 110.6 cents after Reporte
cited Labor Minister Jose Ramon Rivero as saying that the
government may buy back the bonds containing the clause to allow
it to withdraw from the IMF without defaulting.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

GLOBAL MARKETS-Equities rise, dollar higher

(Reuters) - While overall producer prices were up a
greater-than-expected 0.9 percent, the closely watched core
inflation figure -- which excludes volatile food and energy
prices -- was up 0.2 percent as forecast.




The dollar rose to a 4-1/2 year high against the yen,
touching 123.13 yen that was its highest since December
2002, by New York's mid-morning trade. The euro was
slightly lower against the dollar at $1.3295.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

UPDATE 1-Ford says 27,000 workers have left company

(Reuters) - The automaker, which posted a record loss of $12.7 billion
in 2006 and a loss of $282 million for the 2007 first quarter,
is in a four-year turnaround plan announced in 2006 that aims
to cut 16 plants and up to 45,000 jobs.




Ford spokeswoman Marcey Evans said on Thursday 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

Shermag posts smaller fourth-quarter loss

(Reuters) - Gross revenue fell 28.7 percent to C$34.1 million from
C$47.8 million, largely due to a "general softness" in the U.S.
market, the company said. Sales were also hit by foreign
exchange movements.




The latest quarter was hit by C$1.7 million in
restructuring costs, while the bigger year-ago loss included
C$19.5 million in severance expenses and other charges.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

UPDATE 2-Goldman quarterly profit barely rises; shares fall

(Reuters) - By Joseph A. Giannone



NEW YORK, June 14 - Goldman Sachs Group Inc. eked out a 1 percent increase in quarterly profit on Thursday to beat expectations, yet revenue slipped as a sharp drop in fixed income trading offset record investment banking fees and strong equities income.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Gold, Silver Climb in New York Amid Speculation Dollar's Rally to Stall

(Bloomberg) -- Gold and silver prices climbed in
New York on speculation higher energy costs will boost demand
for precious metals as hedges against inflation.

Gold sometimes moves in tandem with crude oil, which
climbed above $67 a barrel after a government report showed U.S.
refineries cut operating rates and Iran said it will continue
developing nuclear energy. Some investors buy gold to hedge
against accelerating consumer prices. Before today, gold had
climbed 2.3 percent this year, while oil gained 8.5 percent.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Rate of U.S. home foreclosures hits record in 1st qtr-MBA

(Reuters) - The delinquency rate for mortgage loans on one- to
four-unit residential properties stood at 4.84 percent of all
loans outstanding in the first quarter on a seasonally adjusted
basis, down 11 basis points from the fourth quarter and up 43
basis points from a year ago, according to the MBA's National
Delinquency Survey.




Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Boston Fed picks internal successor for president

(Reuters) - Rosengren has extensive experience in banking supervision,
both at home and abroad after participating in the Basel
Committee's risk management group. In the past, he also served
as an adviser on Japanese banking issues for the Harvard
Institute for International Development.




Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Gerdau, Pao de Acucar, Sabesp and Vale do Rio Doce: Brazil Equity Movers

(Bloomberg) -- Brazil's main stock index rose to a
record, led by mining company Cia. Vale do Rio Doce.

The Bovespa Index of the most-traded stocks on the Sao Paulo
exchange gained 502.22, or 1 percent, to 53,495.95 as of 9:54 a.m.
New York time, surpassing the June 1 high.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Goldman sees subprime woes worse before rebound

(Reuters) - Viniar said subprime weakness contributed to the decline in fixed-income trading results for the second quarter. He added, though, that problems in the market for the riskiest home buyers still has not spread to other debt markets, as was feared earlier this year.




"So far we still have not seen any contagion," he said.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Oil Rises on U.S. Refining Slowdown, Iran's Refusal to Defer Nuclear Plans

(Bloomberg) -- Crude oil rose above $67 a barrel in
New York and gasoline jumped after a government report showed
that U.S. refineries unexpectedly cut operating rates and 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 Energy News

US STOCKS-Flat open seen after PPI; Bear Stearns off

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, June 14 - U.S. stocks headed for a flat
open on Thursday following an unexpectedly strong reading in
the May headline U.S. producer price index.




But with the core reading in PPI, minus food and energy
costs, coming in line with expectations and some buyers moving
back into Treasuries, stock investors appeared poised to wade
back into equities amid a rebound in global stock markets.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Copper Jumps in New York on Chilean Supply Concerns Amid Strike Threats

(Bloomberg) -- Copper rose in New York for the
second day in a row as miners plan to strike in Chile, the
world's largest source of the metal, and in other mining
nations, threatening to curtail output.

Contract workers at Chile's state-owned Codelco, the
world's biggest copper producer, plan to begin a strike on June
20, cutting production, a labor leader said yesterday. Workers
at the country's Collahuasi mine have also threatened to walk
off the job during wage talks. Copper rose to a record $4.04 a
pound in May 2006, partly on supply disruptions.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Treasuries Decline After Producer Prices Rose More Than Forecast in May

(Bloomberg) -- Treasuries fell as a government
report showed producer prices rose more than forecast in May,
bolstering speculation the Federal Reserve will lift interest
rates later this year.

Producer prices rose 0.9 percent in May, after increasing
0.7 percent in April, as fuel costs climbed, government data
showed. The reading compared with the 0.6 percent increase that
was the median forecast in a Bloomberg News survey.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

FTSE 100 Index Increases, Paced by Rio Tinto, BHP; Centrica Shares Climb

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks gained after concerns
that official interest rates will keep rising waned and metal
prices rebounded.

Rio Tinto Group, the world's third-largest mining company,
and BHP Billiton Ltd. paced the advance after copper prices
increased in Asia.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

TREASURIES-Bonds steady to lower ahead of producer price data

(Reuters) - The relatively slim move in prices marked a pause from the volatile trade of the past two weeks, when expectations of pressure from higher interest rates globally had traders slashing U.S. bond prices and pushing yields to the highest since 2002.




Although the selling has been fairly relentless, buyers did step in on Wednesday to take advantage of cheap prices despite data showing much stronger-than-expected retail sales last month.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

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.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

CME plans to sweeten offer for CBOT: report

(Reuters) - Atlanta-based energy exchange ICE raised its offer for CBOT on Tuesday, a day after the U.S. Department of Justice gave the regulatory clearance for CME and CBOT to merge.




Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

FTSE 100 Index Increases, Paced by BP, Shell; Centrica Shares Advance

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks rose, paced by Rio
Tinto Group, the world's third-largest mining company, and BHP
Billiton Ltd. after copper prices increased in Asia.

Centrica Plc gained after Citigroup Inc. recommended
investors buy shares of the energy supplier.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Vattenfall Cuts Output at Ringhals-4 Reactor in Sweden on Generator Leak

(Bloomberg) -- Vattenfall AB, the Nordic region's
biggest utility, reduced the power capacity at its Ringhals-4
nuclear reactor because of leakage in a generator.

The reduction began at 11:30 a.m. local time today and
capacity was cut by about half to 450 megawatts, the company
said today in a statement to the Nord Pool ASA power exchange.
The duration of the failure is unknown, it said.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

European shares climb ahead of US prices data

(Reuters) - European shares climbed in early trading on Thursday, with leading indexes adding around 1 percent following overnight stock market rallies in the United States and Asia.

"The positive start is thanks to the good U.S. market performance," said German LBBW bank equities strategist Steffen Neumann, who did not see any Europe-specific factors behind the gains.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Tanzania '07 growth seen at 7.3% vs 6.2% in '06

(Reuters) - Tanzania's economy is expected to grow by 7.3 percent in 2007, up from 6.2 percent in 2006, a planning ministry survey showed on Thursday.

"Economic growth will be 7.3 percent in 2007 and 7.7 percent in 2008," said Juma Ngasongwa, planning, economy and empowerment minister in an economic survey presented to parliament ahead of Tanzania's budget speech later on Thursday.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Glaxo says consumer health unit important to firm

(Reuters) - "We are in regular dialogue with our investors and do listen
to the views they express," a GlaxoSmithKline spokesman
said.




"We continue to believe that Consumer Healthcare is an
important part of GSK providing long-term value through
sustained revenues, new product opportunities and synergistic Rx
to OTC switches, such as the
recent launch of Alli."


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

FTSE 100 Stocks Increase, Paced by BP, Shell; Centrica Shares Advance

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks increased, paced by BP
Plc, Europe's second-largest oil company by market value, and
Royal Dutch Shell Plc. Centrica Plc also gained.

The benchmark FTSE 100 Index advanced 48.10, or 0.7
percent, to 6607.70 in London at 8:07 a.m. The FTSE All-Share
Index gained 28.51, or 0.8 percent, to 3416.59. Ireland's ISEQ
Index rose 1.4 percent to 9484.42.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Wynn Boosts Macau Casino Loan by 24 Percent to $1.55 Billion, People Say

(Bloomberg) -- Wynn Resorts Ltd. increased the size
of a loan for its casino in Macau, the world's biggest gambling
market, by 24 percent to $1.55 billion, said three people with
direct knowledge of the matter.

The company, controlled by billionaire Steve Wynn, boosted
borrowings from $1.25 billion after more than 50 banks and funds
offered to lend more than it sought, said the people, who
declined to be identified because details aren't public. Bank of
America Corp., Deutsche Bank AG and Societe Generale SA are
arranging the financing, they said.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

Israel's Gazit acquires shares in Ormat -report

(Reuters) - Officials at Ormat and Gazit could not immediately be
reached for comment.




Ormat is the controlling shareholder in Ormat Technologies
Inc. .


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News