TREASURIES-Prices mixed after jobless claims data

(Reuters) - A larger-than-expected 10,000 rise in weekly data for
jobless claims benefits fueled hopes that the Federal Reserve
would trim interest rates later this year, lifting
shorter-dated Treasuries which are more sensitive to the
market's outlook on Fed policy.




"It was a little higher than expected," John Jansen,
director of fixed-income sales at CastleOak Securities in New
York, said of the latest claims report. "There's a bit of risk
aversion going on."


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McMoRan Exploration to buy Gulf of Mexico assets from Newfield

(Reuters) - The transaction is effective July 1, and is expected to
close in the third quarter, the energy company said in a
statement.





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Cardinal completes initial tender offer for Viasys

(Reuters) - Cardinal, one of the top three U.S. drug distributors, said more than 80 percent of the outstanding shares of Viasys have been tendered. The Dublin, Ohio-based company said in May it would pay about $1.42 billion to acquire Viasys, which makes medical products for respiratory care and other uses.



Cardinal said it expects to acquire the remaining shares and complete the acquisition by June 30.


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RayBan owner Luxottica to buy Oakley for $2.1 bln

(Reuters) - Luxottica will buy all the outstanding shares of Oakley for $29.30 per share, the companies said in a joint statement.




The offer represents a 16.1 percent premium to Oakley's Wednesday close of $25.23 on the New York Stock Exchange.


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CORRECTED-AES posts quarterly loss due to Venezuelan sale

(Reuters) - AES posted a loss of $455 million, or 67 cents per share,
compared with a year-earlier profit of $348 million, or 52
cents per share, which were restated because of problems with
the company's reporting controls.




AES earlier this year agreed to sell its 82 percent stake
in a 2,600 megawatt generation plant in Caracas for $740
million its 82 percent stake in a Caracas-based business that
included 2,600 of megawatt generation capacity for $740 million
to the government of Venezuela as part of President Hugo
Chavez's drive to nationalize the country's electricity and
telecommunication companies.


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Gold Falls a Second Day as Dollar Gains on U.S. Growth; Silver Declines

(Bloomberg) -- Gold fell a second day in London as
expectations of U.S. economic growth buoy the dollar, reducing
demand for the precious metal as an alternative investment.
Silver also declined.

Gold dropped the most since June 8 yesterday on speculation
higher U.S. bond yields will boost the dollar. The dollar gained
for a second day today before U.S. reports on manufacturing and
the future direction of the economy that are expected to signal
growth, Bloomberg surveys of economists show.


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CHRONOLOGY-Recent consolidation moves by stock exchanges

(Reuters) - April 11, 2006 - Nasdaq Stock Market Inc. buys a 15
percent stake in the London Stock Exchange . Nasdaq
subsequently raises its stake to just below 30 percent in a
failed takeover bid.




June 2 - NYSE Group Inc. reaches agreement to buy
Paris-based European exchange operator Euronext in a
pioneering transatlantic deal. The merged exchange NYSE Euronext
makes its market debut on April 4, 2007.


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