Saturday, June 16, 2007

Retailers, consumer companies search for growth

(Reuters) - After years of operating in their comfort zones, retailers and consumer product makers are branching out to find faster pockets of growth. Some are beefing up through acquisitions, while others dive deeper into developing markets, where growth outpaces that of the mature markets of North America.




Meanwhile U.S. consumers face rising costs for everything from gasoline to milk which, along with a tough housing market, is curbing their spending and putting pressure on the manufacturers and retailers vying for shoppers' attention during the upcoming back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

U.S. Treasury Yields Reach Five-Year High Amid Diminishing Rate-Cut Bets

(Bloomberg) -- U.S. 10-year Treasury yields
reached a five-year high as traders stepped up bets the
economy is strong enough to keep the Federal Reserve from
cutting interest rates this year.

The price of the benchmark 10-year note, which moves
inversely to the yield, dropped a sixth straight week, the
longest slide since 2005. A government report on June 13
showed retail sales rose by the most in more than a year in
May, easing concern that falling home values will crimp
consumer spending.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

European Bonds Post Sixth Weekly Decline Amid Prospects for Higher Rates

(Bloomberg) -- European government bonds continued
their longest run of losses since January last week after central
bank officials said interest rates may need to rise to curb
accelerating growth in the $10.4 trillion economy.

Benchmark 10-year bonds fell for a sixth week as yields rose
to the highest since August 2002. European Central Bank policy
maker Axel Weber said June 14 that interest-rate policy is
``still far from being restrictive'' on economic growth.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News