Alcatel-Lucent, EADS, Faurecia, Gemalto and Scor: 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.

The CAC 40 Index yesterday rose 13.98, or 0.2 percent, to
6071.47. The SBF 120 Index also increased 0.2 percent.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Indofood, World's Top Noodle Maker, Raises Prices as Wheat, Palm Oil Surge

(Bloomberg) -- PT Indofood Sukses Makmur, the
world's biggest instant-noodle maker, raised prices of the
staple by as much as 5.5 percent after wheat and palm-oil costs
surged. It was the first increase in more than three years.

All pack prices were boosted 50 rupiah (1 cent) yesterday,
Werianty Setiawan, head of investor relations, said today. That
raised best-selling Indomie Rasa Kari Ayam by 5 percent to 1,050
rupiah, while Indomie Mi Goreng rose 5.5 percent to 950 rupiah.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

CORRECTED: Yen gets boost on BOJ rate hike view after data

(Reuters) - TOKYO - The yen pulled back from a three-month low against the dollar on Tuesday after upbeat data further stoked expectations that the Bank of Japan will raise interest rates in the next few months.




A drop in Japan's jobless rate to a nine-year low in April and consumer spending that beat market forecasts in the same month sent the two-year bond yield to a 10-year high and prompted investors to buy the yen.


Read more at Reuters.com Hot Stocks News

Private equity in talks for tech retailer CDW -WSJ

(Reuters) - The talks are at a sensitive stage and could fall apart,
the paper said. The buyout firm might also face some late
competition from others, it added.




CDW and Madison Dearborn could not be reached immediately
for comment.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Slower global growth means new risks: World Bank

(Reuters) - In its annual Global Development Finance report, the bank
said higher interest rates and emerging capacity constraints
would slow the rapid growth of developing countries, with
global growth falling to around 3.5 percent in 2009 from 4
percent in 2006.




In developing countries, growth is likely to moderate
gradually to about 6 percent in 2009 from 7.3 percent in 2006,
the report said.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Copper Prices Rise in Shanghai as Fall in Stockpiles Fuels Supply Concern

(Bloomberg) -- Shanghai copper prices rose after
climbing the daily limit yesterday amid concern that supply may
lag behind demand following a drop in global stockpiles.

Global inventories of copper in warehouses monitored by the
London Metal Exchange fell 1.5 percent to 134,125 metric tons,
their lowest since Oct.31, the exchange said on May 25. The
exchange was closed yesterday for a public holiday. Shanghai
exchange stockpiles dropped 0.5 percent from a three-year high in
the past week to 99,027 tons.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

ABN Amro, Ackermans, Fortis, Fountain Industries: Benelux Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following stocks may rise or fall
in Benelux markets. Stock symbols are in parentheses after
company names and prices are from the previous day close.

The Amsterdam Exchanges Index increased 2.08, or 0.4
percent, to 537.56. Belgium's Bel20 Index gained 17.80, or 0.4
percent, to 4689.51.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Short Sales Break Record on NYSE; Making Market Bulls Even More Bullish

(Bloomberg) -- Short sellers are betting against
U.S. stocks like never before as the Standard & Poor's 500 Index
approaches an all-time high. That's making some of the biggest
bulls even more optimistic.

``What the short seller appears to be doing is doubling
down,'' said Kenneth Fisher, who oversees about $40 billion as
chairman of Fisher Investments in Woodside, California. ``You
love to see it, because if you believe there is a basic driver
to the bull market, they're going to get run over.''


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

IPO Fees in Europe Catch Wall Street for First Time Since World War II

(Bloomberg) -- The lights may be going out on Wall
Street, where for the first time since World War II bankers are
on the verge of earning less from initial public offerings than
in Europe.

As American underwriters continue to charge double the
going fee rate on European IPOs, the total amount of money
raised in Europe so far this year is 78 percent greater than the
value of U.S. offerings, data compiled by Bloomberg show. As a
result, the historic bank-earnings gap between the two markets
is barely perceptible: more than $1.1 billion in fees from IPOs
in Europe, compared with about $1.4 billion from initial sales
on American stock exchanges. In 2002, investment banks earned
five times as much taking companies public in the U.S. as they
did in Europe.


Read more at Bloomberg Exclusive News

UPDATE 1-Japan jobless rate hits 9-yr low, spending strong

(Reuters) - Separate data on Tuesday showed that household spending rose
much more than expected, suggesting that consumption held up well
in April after robust growth in the January-March quarter,
although retail sales shrank from a year ago.




Taken together, the data supported expectations that the Bank
of Japan could raise interest rates sometime after August,
helping lift two-year Japanese government bond yields to a
10-year high.


Read more at Reuters.com Economic News

China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand: Asian Local Bond Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following events and economic
reports may influence trading in Asian local-currency bonds
today. Yields are from the previous session.

China: State-owned China Development Bank will sell 20
billion yuan ($2.6 billion) of 10-year bonds tomorrow. The
lender last sold the same-maturity debt on May 21 when it issued
20 billion yuan of the debt with a coupon of 3.66 percent.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

APEC to Study Impact of State-Owned Oil Companies, Consider Nuclear Body

(Bloomberg) -- Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
energy ministers will later today call for a working group to
examine the effects on trade and investment of state-owned oil
and gas companies, according to a draft communiqué.

The working group will be directed also to study how
partnering and cooperating with state-owned companies could
``improve the value chain'' in oil and gas supply, according to
the draft statement obtained by Bloomberg News in advance of the
release of the final communiqué later today. APEC nations will
also be encouraged to consider setting up a regional association
of nuclear safeguard authorities, the draft says.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

Australian Dollar May Fall on Narrowing Yield Premium With U.S. Treasuries

(Bloomberg) -- The Australian dollar may fall as the
yield advantage of the nation's bonds over Treasuries narrows,
suggesting traders are reducing bets the interest rate spread with
the U.S. will widen.

The currency has declined 1.5 percent over the past two weeks
as the yield spread between Australian and U.S. two-year bonds
shrunk to 1.37 percentage points from 1.49 percentage points.
Traders have cut bets Australia's 1 percentage point rate
advantage over the U.S. will widen on weaker local wages data and
stronger U.S. economic figures.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Belize govt seeks private sector bailout for loan

(Reuters) - "Instead of going the public sector route, we will try to
encourage private sector investors to take over that loan,"
Deputy Prime Minister John Briceno said during a climate change
conference in the tiny Central American nation.




"It could be local or international investors and there are
a few known Belizean investors that have signaled their
interest."


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Venezuela's Bolivar Advances as Concern Over TV Network's Shutdown Eases

(Bloomberg) -- Venezuela's currency strengthened to
a two-week high in unregulated markets on speculation political
tension over President Hugo Chavez's shutdown of the country's
most-watched TV network won't disrupt financial trading.

``There were very few elements that altered public order
over the weekend, which in the end gives all this a neutral
tone,'' said Nelson Corrie, head of trading at Caracas-based
Interacciones Mercado de Capitales.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Bank of Israel Cuts Key Interest Rate a Quarter-Point to 3.5 Percent

(Bloomberg) -- The Bank of Israel lowered its
benchmark lending rate by a quarter-point for June after six
earlier cuts failed to spark a depreciation of the shekel and
boost inflation back up into the target range.

The rate the central bank charges commercial lenders will
be lowered to 3.5 percent on May 31, a spokeswoman for the
Jerusalem-based bank said today. Eleven out of 12 economists
surveyed by Bloomberg last week forecast a 25 basis point
reduction, with one saying it would remain unchanged.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

S.African union members strike at BHP Billiton mine

(Reuters) - South African trade union, the National Union of Mineworkers, on Monday said over 500 miners had downed tools at BHP Billiton's Samancor mine in the Northern Cape province over discrimination.

The union said the miners were on strike because black workers had to walk two kilometres to their nearest bus-stop, while employees of other races got their transport in front of their home-gates.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Canadian Stocks Gain on Increased Mergers Activity, Led By Alcan, Teck

(Bloomberg) -- Canadian stocks rose, led by Alcan
Inc., as surging metal prices and an increase in mergers sent
shares of commodity producers higher.

Alcan climbed on a Globe and Mail report that Norsk Hydro
ASA is preparing a bid worth more than $30 billion for the
Canadian aluminum miner. Teck Cominco Ltd., the world's second-
largest zinc miner and owner of Canada's biggest copper mine,
jumped as copper prices in Shanghai rose by the limit for the
third time this month.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Gold Price Trades Near Two-Month Low Amid Speculation Dollar to Strengthen

(Bloomberg) -- Gold prices in Asia were little
changed near a two-month low amid speculation the dollar will
strengthen further against the euro, reducing the appeal of the
precious metal as an alternative investment. Silver rose.

Gold generally moves in the opposite direction to the dollar
which last week gained to a six-week high against the euro. Gold,
which traded at a two-month low of $652.01 on May 24, has risen 3
percent so far this year as the dollar dropped 1.9 percent
against the euro.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Rio Tinto eyeing bid for Alcan: report

(Reuters) - Rio Tinto is the latest mining house reportedly sizing Alcan up for takeover after Alcan rejected a $28.4 billion bid by Alcoa. An Alcan-Rio link up would create the world's largest aluminum company.




Rio was unlikely to retain Alcan's downstream aluminum rolling and packaging arms, which it could sell for more than $8 billion and take some of the sting out of having to fork out possibly over $30 billion for Alcan, analysts said.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Kuwait Interbank Lending Rates Fall After Central Bank Withdraws Note

(Bloomberg) -- Kuwait's interbank lending rates fell a
day after the central bank withdrew its one-month certificate of
deposit from the market.

The dinar fell against the dollar below the rate at which the
central bank will buy dinars. The average one month interbank
lending rate declined 14 percent to 4.3125 percent from 4.9375
percent yesterday, data published on the central bank's Web site
showed. The dinar fell 0.14 percent to 0.28816 to the dollar at
1:27 p.m.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Taiwan Dollar Rises as Central Bank May Buy; Indonesian Rupiah Advances

(Bloomberg) -- Taiwan's dollar strengthened to a
five-week high on speculation the island's central bank will
purchase the currency to curb declines.

A slide in the Taiwan dollar last week to a 17-month low
increased the cost of imports, adding to inflation. A weakening
currency may also encourage some investors to take funds out as
the value of their securities is eroded. The local dollar is the
second-worst performer after the Japanese yen among the world's
16 most-traded currencies this year.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Central European Stocks Rise First Time in Three Days, Led by KGHM, CEZ

(Bloomberg) -- Central European shares gained for the
first time in three days. KGHM Polska Miedz SA, Poland's largest
copper mining company, followed the price of the metal higher.
CEZ AS, the biggest Czech utility, also paced the advance.

The NTX Index of 30 companies in the region added 0.2
percent to 1937.76 at 9:51 a.m. in Warsaw.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Italian Stocks Rise; UniCredit, Assicurazioni Generali, Monte Paschi Gain

(Bloomberg) -- Italian stocks advanced, led by
UniCredit SpA and Assicurazioni Generali SpA. Banca Monte dei
Paschi di Siena SpA shares also climbed.

The S&P/MIB Index added 141, or 0.3 percent, to 43,160 at
9:10 a.m. in Milan, as 28 stocks increased, 10 fell and two were
unchanged. Futures expiring in June gained 126, or 0.3 percent,
to 43,240.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News