Gold regains footing, Tokyo futures jump as yen dips

(Reuters) - Gold edged higher on Tuesday after sentiment for the metal improved following a recovery in U.S. shares the previous day, while Japanese gold futures jumped nearly 1 percent due to the yen's dip against the dollar.

Cash platinum rose sharply on technical buying due to the strength in Tokyo platinum futures, which also rose because the yen dropped.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Bonds in Australia Fall as Housing, Lending Growth Support Rate Rise Case

(Bloomberg) -- Australian government bonds fell for
a second day as reports showed home-building approvals and
lending to consumers and businesses increased more than
economists expected last month.

Two-year notes extended declines as traders raised bets the
Reserve Bank of Australia will increase its key interest rate
from 6.25 percent when policy makers meet next week. Bonds also
fell as investor appetite for risk rose after U.S. stocks
rebounded yesterday from the worst two-day slide since 2003.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Japan's Bonds Advance as Equity Decline Increases Demand for Fixed Income

(Bloomberg) -- Japanese bonds gained as falling
stock prices and concerns economic growth may slow spurred
demand for the fixed payments of government securities.

Benchmark debt headed higher after government reports
showed wages fell for a seventh month and household spending
rose less than expected. Ten-year yields reached the lowest in
eight weeks yesterday on speculation rising U.S. mortgage
defaults and a slump in corporate debt market would slow growth
in the biggest market for Japanese exporters.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Japan's Nikkei Declines, Led by Kyocera on Earnings Report; Olympus Gains

(Bloomberg) -- Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average fell
after earnings at companies including Kyocera Corp. lagged behind
investor expectations.

Limiting losses, Olympus Corp. and Shinsei Bank Ltd. gained
after they posted profit growth.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European Business, Consumer Confidence May Have Declined for Second Month

(Bloomberg) -- European business and consumer
confidence probably fell for a second month in July as the euro's
appreciation and higher oil prices threatened to curb economic
growth, a survey of economists shows.

The European Commission's index of sentiment among
executives and consumers in the euro region declined to 111.2
from 111.7 in June, according to the median of 29 forecasts in a
Bloomberg News survey. Inflation stayed at 1.9 percent in July, a
separate survey shows.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

TREASURIES-Steady in Asia ahead of core PCE

(Reuters) - Later this session, investors will focus on the release of
the Federal Reserve's favoured inflation measure -- the "core"
personal consumption expenditures price index -- to gain
hints on the chances of a Fed rate cut later this year.




Concerns about fallout from the market turmoil has helped
reignite talk of a Federal Reserve rate cut from the current 5.25
percent, with the futures market now factoring in a 70 percent
chance of a quarter-point rate cut by year-end.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Asia-Pacific Ministers May Say Their Economies Can Weather Market Turmoil

(Bloomberg) -- Asia-Pacific finance ministers, meeting
in Australia this week, may say the world economy is strong enough
to weather recent financial-market turmoil that drove the cost of
borrowing higher for companies.

Japan's Koji Omi, China's Jin Renqing and South Korea's Kwon
Okyu are among ministers of the 21-member Asia Pacific Economic
Cooperation group who will meet in Coolum, Australia, on Aug. 2 and
3. U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson will be represented by
Deputy Secretary Robert Kimmitt.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

IMF chief warns of globalization risks

(Reuters) - Rodrigo Rato said the trouble in the U.S. subprime housing market was an example of such risks and called for a fresh look at lenders' underwriting standards and more borrower education.




"There is ground for concern in the recent dramatic growth in large private equity buy-outs," the IMF chief told a business audience in the Philippine capital.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Singapore's Straits Times Index Advances, Led by CapitaLand, Developers

(Bloomberg) -- Singapore's stocks rose after the
government said it probably won't intervene in the property
market and CapitaLand Ltd., the country's largest developer,
posted a five-fold surge in second-quarter profit.

Keppel Land Ltd. advanced after it sold a stake in a
downtown office tower to its property trust. SC Global
Developments Ltd. climbed after the builder of luxury homes won a
site in a gated community in Singapore's Sentosa resort island.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Japan's Nikkei 225 Drops, Led by Kyocera on Earnings Report; Olympus Gains

(Bloomberg) -- Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average
slipped led by companies including Kyocera Corp. whose earnings
failed to live up to investor expectations.

Losses were limited after profit growth at companies
including Olympus Corp. and Shinsei Bank Ltd. surprised market
participants.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Saskatchewan, Canada's Top Wheat Grower, Pares Harvest Forecast on Drought

(Bloomberg) -- Saskatchewan, Canada's top wheat-
growing province, is paring back expectations for a bumper
harvest because of hot weather and parched soil conditions, the
government said.

Daytime temperatures of more than 35 degrees Celsius (86
degrees Fahrenheit) are stunting crop development, especially in
the southwest, Terry Bedard, an agronomist at the Policy Branch
of Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food, said today in an
interview.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

UPDATE 1-Manitowoc reports higher Q2 profit, ups full-year view

(Reuters) - The Manitowoc, Wisconsin-based company said it now sees
2007 earnings of $4.70 to $4.90 a share, excluding items, on a
pre-split basis.




In April, Manitowoc had raised its 2007 earnings view to
$4.40 to $4.50 a share.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

China, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, 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: U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, rejecting
claims in the U.S. Congress that he's too soft on China, said
negotiations rather than sanctions have led to a faster
appreciation of the yuan. ``We are getting results through this
process that wouldn't have been achieved without it,'' Paulson
told reporters as he traveled to China, where he arrived late on
July 29. The yuan's ``rate of appreciation has gone up
materially over the past year,'' he said. China Development Bank,
one of the nation's three public policy lenders, plans to sell
20 billion yuan ($2.64 billion) of 10-year bonds tomorrow.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Japanese Stocks With Rising Profits May Advance, Led by Komatsu, Olympus

(Bloomberg) -- Japanese stocks that reported rising
profits in the first quarter may advance.

Komatsu Ltd. may lead gains after the world's second-largest
maker of construction machinery said net income increased 65
percent from a year earlier and boosted its full-year profit
forecast. Olympus Corp. may rise after it said profit doubled and
boosted its full-year estimate.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Amcor, BHP, News Corp., Qantas, Rio, Woodside: Australian Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies
whose shares may rise or fall in Australia. This preview includes
news announced after markets closed yesterday. Prices are from
yesterday's close unless otherwise stated. Stock symbols are in
brackets after the company names.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index futures contract due in September added
0.9 percent to 6,128 at 6:59 a.m. in Sydney. The Bank of New York
Australia ADR Index rose 3.4 percent in New York.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Bell Aliant reports lower distributable cash

(Reuters) - It said factors behind the decline included the sale of
Aliant Directory Services assets, higher pension costs and
lower adjusted profit.




Operating revenue increased 1.3 percent in the quarter to
C$825.4 million from C$814.9 million a year earlier, Bell
Aliant said.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Top music companies show interest in Univision unit

(Reuters) - The Spanish-language broadcaster is trying to trim debt
since its $12.3 billion buyout by private investors in March,
one source said.




Meetings between management and some suitors are also set
to begin this week, according to a second source. The unit
could fetch as much as $400 million, according to the Financial
Times.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

U.S. Stocks Rebound on Upgrades; KB Home, Nordstrom, Bank Shares Advance

(Bloomberg) -- U.S. stocks rebounded from the worst
two-day skid since 2003 after Wall Street's biggest securities
firms, led by Citigroup Inc., Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Bank
of America Corp., said the sell-off made banks, homebuilders and
retailers relative bargains.

Nordstrom Inc., the Seattle-based luxury retailer, climbed
the most in almost two years. Wells Fargo & Co., JPMorgan Chase
& Co. and American Express Co. carried financial shares to their
biggest advance since July 12. KB Home gained for the first time
in seven days after Citigroup said ``hysteria'' has driven the
36 percent drop in shares of construction firms this year.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Profit optimism, financials fuel Wall St.'s rebound

(Reuters) - Financial shares, which have borne the brunt of fallout from tightening credit markets, bounced back in part after ratings agency Standard & Poor's upgraded Morgan Stanley's debt.




Sentiment about the sector also improved after the bailout of a hedge fund steeped in subprime mortgage market losses and a home lending unit of GMAC reported narrowing losses. General Motors Corp. shares rose 4.9 percent, boosting the Dow.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Pitney Bowes swings to quarterly profit

(Reuters) - The year ago figures included costs related to restructuring.




Revenue increased 11 percent to $1.5 billion


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

BP Says CATS North Sea Pipeline to Restart in September After Repair Work

(Bloomberg) -- BP Plc said divers completed an
inspection of the damaged CATS natural gas pipeline in the North
Sea and a permanent repair will be required before the pipeline can
resume operating in September.

``A metal sleeve will be installed to strengthen and protect
the affected area of pipeline,'' BP said in an e-mailed statement
today. ``Design and fabrication of the sleeve is already under way
and it is expected that the system will restart during September.''


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

GM seen posting profit, analysts remain cautious

(Reuters) - Still, analysts remained cautious about the weakness in the
U.S. housing market, which could weigh on GM's results through
the remainder of the year, and about sustainable profitability
in its North American operations.




Analysts, on average, expect GM to post on Tuesday a
second-quarter net profit of $1.10 a share, compared with a net
loss of $5.98 a share a year earlier. The per-share profit
estimates range from $1.00 to $1.28.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

GMAC CFO says ResCap's liquidity sufficient

(Reuters) - Earlier Monday, finance company GMAC posted a 63 percent
decline in quarterly profit, hurt by a $254 million loss at
ResCap. Last year, General Motors Corp. sold a majority
stake in GMAC.





Read more at Reuters.com Market News

UPDATE 1-Hedge fund Citadel takes over Sowood's credit fund

(Reuters) - Chicago-based Citadel, which manages $14 billion, came to the rescue after Boston-based Sowood, which managed $3 billion, got into trouble with bond trades this summer. Rumors that Sowood might be forced to shut down roiled financial markets late last week.




On Friday a person familiar with Sowood's operations told Reuters that the fund, which manages money for Harvard University and other prominent clients, lost 8 percent in July and 5 percent in June, bringing losses to 10 percent for the year.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

US STOCKS-Profit optimism lifts Wall St gloom

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, July 30 - U.S. stocks rose in choppy
trade on Monday after Wall Street's worst week in nearly five
years as optimism about the earnings outlook offset concerns
about the deteriorating credit market.




Expectations for quarterly earnings growth by Standard &
Poor's 500 companies were raised to 6.8 percent compared with
the year-ago period from 6.0 percent expected one week earlier,
according to Reuters Estimates.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

GMAC posts smaller profit as ResCap weighs

(Reuters) - Its Residential Capital LLC unit posted a net loss of $254
million, compared with a profit of $548 million a year earlier.
Year-earlier results included a $259 million one-time gain.




GM last November sold a 51 percent stake in GMAC for $14
billion to a group led by private equity firm Cerberus Capital
Management. The automaker kept the remaining 49 percent.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Soybeans Rise in Chicago on Risk Fungal Disease May Threaten Midwest Crops

(Bloomberg) -- Soybean prices in Chicago rose on
speculation a deadly fungus threatens to spread into the
Midwest, damaging the second-biggest U.S. crop.

Asian soybean rust was confirmed last week in two counties
in southern Oklahoma, the most northern infestation of the
disease, which can destroy as much as 80 percent of infected
fields. Iowa State University said in a report last week there
is a 40 percent chance in the next 30 days that the fungus will
reach Iowa, the biggest grower.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Canada homeowners less sensitive to rates-study

(Reuters) - "Recent financial innovation is playing a prominent role in
redefining the consumer and housing cycle in Canada and thereby
making the Bank of Canada's job more difficult," Derek Holt,
assistant chief economist at RBC, wrote in the report.




Ottawa began deregulating the mortgage insurance market
last year -- a latecomer to the process compared to other
countries. In June 2006, the national housing agency began
offering mortgage insurance for interest-only loans and for
amortizations of up to 35 years. Bank of Canada Governor David
Dodge initially opposed the changes, saying they could drive up
prices further in the already overheated housing market.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Chile retail sales accelerate to 6.5 pct in June

(Reuters) - "The result, which implies an acceleration in the growth
rate and in retail sales, is associated with strength in
consumer spending and sustained growth."




CNC said despite the pickup, growth in the first half of
the year was below that of last year's 3.5 percent


Read more at Reuters.com Economic News

Most U.S. Stocks Drop on Lending Conern; Energy Shares, Exxon Mobil Fall

(Bloomberg) -- Most U.S. stocks declined, dragging
European shares lower, after a German bank's losses from
subprime mortgages spurred concern rising defaults will reduce
lending and end the boom in leveraged buyouts.

Financial shares fell to a 10-month low after Germany's
IKB Deutsche Industriebank AG said it scrapped an earnings
forecast because of ``massive uncertainty'' in the markets.
Exxon Mobil Corp., the world's largest energy producer,
retreated on a drop in oil prices from an almost one-year high.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

CORRECTED: RadioShack posts profit but sales weaken

(Reuters) - "The sales performance continues to be weak," said Tiffany Co, a director in the retail group with Fitch Ratings. She said declining sales would eventually cut into profitability.




Sales fell 15 percent to $934.8 million, short of analysts' estimates of $983.6 million. Sales at stores open at least a year, a key measure of retail performance, dropped 8.9 percent. RadioShack cited weaker wireless sales and the closure of 481 stores in 2006.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Turkish Stocks Fall for Fifth Day, Led by Koc, Akbank Shares; Migros Gains

(Bloomberg) -- Turkey's benchmark stock index
dropped for a fifth day, its longest losing streak in seven
months. Koc Holding AS and Akbank TAS paced the decline.

The ISE National 100 Index lost 102.69, or 0.2 percent, to
51,459.22 in Istanbul as 50 shares fell, 30 rose and 20 were
unchanged. That is the longest run of declines since the six
trading days ended Jan. 10.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

UPDATE 1-Turkey's Akbank H1 net profit soars 35 pct

(Reuters) - Akbank, part-owned by Citigroup , turned a net profit
of 1.2 billion lira , it said in a statement.




Total loans grew 17.4 percent from the end of last year to
35.6 billion lira, with consumer loan growth of 19 percent.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Berkshire Hills sees earnings below estimates

(Reuters) - Shares of the company were down almost 2 percent at $27.43 in morning trade on the Nasdaq.







Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Libya sees enhanced oil round - Gaddafi son

(Reuters) - Libya plans an enhanced oil recovery round to develop its production capacity, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's son Saif al-islam said on Monday.

"We are now ready to launch ...another round for enhanced recovery also -- that's a new one," he told Reuters in an interview during a visit to France.


Read more at Reuters Africa

FTSE 100 Index Stocks Advance, Led by HSBC, Imperial Chemicals, Vedanta

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks rose for the first time
in five days, led by HSBC Holdings Plc after Europe's largest
bank reported profit that topped analysts' estimates.

Imperial Chemicals Industries Plc also gained, while BHP
Billiton Ltd. led shares of mining companies higher.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Platinum, Palladium Fall in New York on Speculation Auto Demand May Weaken

(Bloomberg) -- Platinum and palladium fell in New
York on speculation demand may weaken after Nissan Motor Co.
developed a technology that uses less of the precious metals in
emission-control devices.

The Tokyo-based company said July 27 that its new
autocatalyst requires only half the platinum, palladium and
rhodium of existing models. Makers of the devices buy 54 percent
of the platinum sold each year, according to Helen Henton, head
of commodity research at London-based Standard Chartered Plc.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

UPDATE 3-KPN to buy Getronics for $1 bln, core profit flat

(Reuters) - AMSTERDAM, July 30 - Telecoms group KPN
has agreed to buy struggling information technology services
company Getronics for 766 million euros ,
making it the Dutch market leader in IT services.




KPN , which also beat analysts' expectations by
posting flat second-quarter core earnings on Monday, said the
cash takeover offer at 6.25 euros per Getronics share was part
of its strategy to move from providing communications links to
more value-added services in the business market.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Shares of mortgage lenders slide

(Reuters) - Other mortgage lenders falling included Countrywide Financial Corp. , down 3.4 percent to $28.85 and Novastar Financial Inc. , down 8.9 percent to $14.80.




Read more at Reuters.com Hot Stocks News

UPDATE 1-Wrigley posts higher 2nd-quarter profit

(Reuters) - The world's largest chewing gum maker said earnings rose to
$169.8 million, or 61 cents a share, from $140.6 million, or 51
cents a share, a year earlier.




Excluding costs for restructuring the company's supply
chain, earnings were 62 cents a share. Analysts on average had
forecast 59 cents, according to Reuters Estimates.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Bausch & Lomb allows rival bidder to show info

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, July 30 - Eye-care products group Bausch & Lomb Inc. said on Monday it has agreed to allow rival Advanced Medical Optics Inc. to provide certain information about its $4.23 billion takeover offer to some of Advanced Medical's large shareholders.



Advanced Medical wants to wrest Bausch & Lomb away from its existing agreement to be acquired by private equity firm Warburg Pincus for $3.67 billion.


Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

UPDATE 1-ArvinMeritor posts quarterly loss

(Reuters) - ArvinMeritor, which completed the sale of its emissions
unit during the quarter and has been in a restructuring, also
narrowed its outlook for earnings per share and raised slightly
its revenue forecast for its fiscal year.




The company posted a net loss of $70 million, 99 cents per
share, in its third quarter, ended June 30, compared with a net
profit of $20 million, or 29 cents per share, a year earlier.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

BMC Software board authorizes buyback of up to $1 bln shares

(Reuters) - This is in addition to the $171.1 million buyback remaining under a previous authorization as of June 30, the company, whose software helps companies manage large computer networks, said in a statement.






Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Cosan sees IPO of 100 mln Class A common shares

(Reuters) - The Sao-Paulo Brazil-based company said it applied for a
New York Stock Exchange listing under the symbol "CZZ."





Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

Gold Gains on Speculation Dollar's Drop May Revive Demand; Silver Advances

(Bloomberg) -- Gold rose for the first time in a
week in London as the dollar's decline against the euro may
revive investor demand for the precious metal. Silver gained.

Gold has climbed 3.9 percent this year as the dollar fell
3.5 percent against the euro. Investment in StreetTracks Gold
Trust, the biggest exchange-traded fund backed by bullion, fell
last week for the first time in four weeks as the dollar
rebounded, World Gold Council figures show.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Verizon quarterly profit rises

(Reuters) - Operating revenue rose 6.3 percent to $23.3 billion, it said.




Strong sales of wireless and Internet services have helped ease the impact of Verizon's declining traditional phone business.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Gold steadies above 2-week low, remains defensive

(Reuters) - Traders said weaker share prices had forced investors to lighten positions in risky assets, including commodities, until the situation in stock markets stabilized.




"The weakness in global stock markets on concerns of a credit crunch continues and this is probably a negative factor for gold," Dresdner Kleinwort said in a research note.


Read more at Reuters.com Hot Stocks News

Kenya shilling slightly firmer vs dollar, seen rangebound

(Reuters) - The Kenya shilling made slight gains against the dollar in quiet trade on Monday, and dealers expect it to remain rangebound in the coming week.

At 0841 GMT commercial banks quoted the shilling at 67.55/65 compared with Friday's close of 67.60/70.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Platinum Declines in London, Erasing an Earlier Gain; Palladium Advances

(Bloomberg) -- Platinum fell in London, erasing an
earlier gain. Palladium rose.

Platinum for immediate delivery dropped $1.50 to $1,277 an
ounce as of 11 a.m. in London. Prices had gained as much as
$5.50, or 0.4 percent. Palladium rose $1.50 to $363 an ounce,
after earlier declining as much as $3.25, or 0.9 percent.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Johncom rejigs management after M-Net sale

(Reuters) - South African media firm Johnnic Communications has rejigged management as it focuses on expanding its media and entertainment business after selling its stake in pay-TV channels M-Net and Supersport.

Johncom said in a statement on Monday the restructuring would help the company sharpen its focus as it expands its core media and entertainment business. The firm said last year it was selling its stake in M-Net and Supersport to Naspers.


Read more at Reuters Africa

China's CSI 300 Index Advances for Seventh Day: World's Biggest Mover

(Bloomberg) -- China's stocks rose for a seventh day.
China Vanke Co. led developers and banks higher on speculation
U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson may convince the Chinese
government to allow the yuan's gains to accelerate.

``A stronger yuan will boost profits at banks and
developers'' as investors are drawn to local assets, said Zheng
Tuo, who manages the equivalent of $790 million at Bank of
Communications Schroder Fund Management Co. in Shanghai.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

ISDA sets out European loan CDS template

(Reuters) - The European template differs from the U.S. standard in that
it relates to a specific underlying loan rather than an
underlying borrower.




The parties to the default swap can agree that a contract
will be canceled if that loan is subsequently refinanced.
Alternatively, the contract will continue, referencing the new
loans used to refinance the original underlying obligation.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Sarkozy Complaints About Euro's Impact on Exports Not Supported by Data

(Bloomberg) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy
complains the euro's increase to a record against the dollar is
hurting European exports. So far, the numbers don't back him up.

Shipments from the 13-nation euro area rose 9 percent in the
five months through May from a year earlier, the second-fastest
pace in six years. That's because the euro has increased less than
half as much against the currencies of the region's 24 biggest
trading partners as it has against the U.S. dollar.


Read more at Bloomberg Exclusive News

FTSE up as M&A boosts; BoE eyed but jitters stick

(Reuters) - The FTSE 100 index of Britain's leading shares edged up 0.2 percent on Monday after a flurry of M&A activity boosted the upside but interest rate concerns and credit uncertainty continued to worry investors.

Fears that a rise in defaults on U.S. subprime mortgage loans could spiral into a broader financial crunch have surrounded global markets since mid-June.


Read more at Reuters Africa

French Stocks Advance; France Telecom Gains as Morgan Stanley Lifts Rating

(Bloomberg) -- French stocks rose, paced by
Michelin & Cie. and France Telecom SA.

The CAC 40 Index advanced 28.59, or 0.5 percent, to 5672.55
at 9:26 a.m. in Paris. The SBF 120 Index added 0.6 percent.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Platinum Futures Fall Daily Limit in Tokyo on Rising Yen, Demand Concern

(Bloomberg) -- Platinum futures in Tokyo declined
by the daily limit to a two-month low as a rising yen against
the dollar reduced the value of yen-denominated futures, and
amid concern that platinum usage in autocatalysts may decline.

The yen rose to the highest in more than three months
versus the dollar on July 27 as a fall in stocks caused traders
to repay Japanese currency loans used to fund high-yielding
investments.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

UPDATE 1-Statoil Q2 tops forecast, keeps '07 output target

(Reuters) - Pretax profit fell to 28.3 billion crowns in
the second quarter to end-June, beating a 27.4 billion average
forecast in a Reuters poll of 19 analysts, whose estimates had
ranged from 22.4 billion to 31.7 billion crowns.




Revenues at the Nordic region's biggest industrial company
by turnover rose 1 percent to 108.9 billion, beating the average
forecast of 105.7 billion.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

ICI says in talks with Akzo, hasn't opened books

(Reuters) - "Subsequently, ICI met with Akzo to advise that the proposal was rejected and to explore whether it could be increased. This meeting did not result in an improved proposal. Discussions are continuing, however, ICI has not granted Akzo access to due diligence information."




Read more at Reuters.com Business News