European Stocks Decline, Led by UBS, BNP, Philips, BHP Billiton, Lafarge

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks fell, following
declines in Asia and the U.S., on mounting concern that losses in
the U.S. mortgage market will erode economic growth and raise
financing costs for companies.

UBS AG and BNP Paribas SA led a drop by financial shares.
Royal Philips Electronics NV and Lafarge SA decreased as the
dollar traded near a record low against the euro. BHP Billiton
Ltd. and Rio Tinto Group slipped after copper fell in Shanghai.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

US jobs data hit stocks, dollar, boost bonds

(Reuters) - Stocks and the dollar fell while safe-haven government bonds rallied on Friday after weaker-than-expected U.S. jobs data fanned concerns about a U.S. economy already struggling with credit liquidity fears.

U.S. stock futures pointed to a weaker open on Wall Street while European stocks moved deeper in negative territory after data showed U.S. employers boosted payrolls in July at the slowest pace since February, adding 92,000 jobs.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Stocks set for steady start ahead of jobs data

(Reuters) - By 6:05 a.m. EDT S&P and Dow futures were flat, while Nasdaq futures eased 0.1 percent. European stocks were steady but dipped from early highs.




Citigroup chief executive Charles Prince said the recent market pullback "feels sharp," but he was bullish on the bank's growth, the New York Times said on its Web site.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

European Stocks Advance, Led by Volkswagen on Profit; Nokia, Siemens Gain

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks rose for the first
time in four days after Volkswagen AG, the region's largest
carmaker, reported earnings that exceeded analysts' estimates and
investors speculated this week's sell-off was overdone.

Volkswagen paced gains by automakers. Nokia Oyj, the world's
biggest mobile-phone maker, rallied after a five-day decline, and
Siemens AG, Europe's largest engingeering company, rebounded from
a two-month low.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European Stocks Decline, Led by Volvo, Randstad; GPC Biotech Tumbles

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks fell after Volvo AB,
the world's second-largest truckmaker, reported earnings that
missed analysts' estimates and Dutch staffing company Randstad
Holding NV said it's ``cautious'' for the third quarter.

Volvo dropped the most in more than two months, while
Randstad, which also fell short of analysts' expectations, headed
for its biggest decline in almost six years. Hermes International
SCA dropped after saying full-year revenue growth will be at the
low end of its forecast range.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European Stocks Fall Amid Hedge-Fund Losses, Earnings Outlook; Total Drops

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks dropped this week
following three weeks of gains as investors speculated hedge-fund
losses at Bear Stearns Cos. may signal wider problems in credit
markets and the strong euro might erode earnings.

``There are fears more hedge funds might get into trouble,''
said Juergen Lukasser, who helps manage $20 billion as head of
equities at Constantia Privatbank AG in Vienna. ``After months of
smooth sailing the question of how much risk you're willing to
take has come back. In the long run this might lead to more risk
aversion, making it more difficult to finance takeovers.''


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European Stocks Fall for First Time in Four Days; Statoil, BHP Decline

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks dropped for the first
time in four days after analysts downgraded oil companies and a
decline in copper prices pushed mining shares lower.

Repsol YPF and Statoil ASA paced a retreat in energy stocks
after ING Groep NV recommended selling the shares. Anglo American
Plc and Antofagasta Plc followed copper prices lower and BHP
Billiton Ltd. slid after Deutsche Bank AG downgraded shares of the
world's biggest mining company.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European Stocks Advance, Led by ASML, SAAB, FCC; C&C Group Tumbles

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks climbed for a second
day on speculation companies will keep increasing earnings.

ASML Holding NV rallied to a five-year high after Samsung
Electronics Co., Asia's largest maker of semiconductors, reported
profit that beat analysts' estimates. Saab AB rose the most in a
month after the company posted a 48 percent jump in earnings.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European Stocks Advance, Led by BHP Billiton, Xstrata, Alstom, Nokia

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks rose for the first
time in three days, led by BHP Billiton Ltd. and Xstrata Plc,
after Rio Tinto Group's $38.1 billion purchase of Canada's Alcan
Inc. fanned takeover speculation in the industry.

Alstom SA jumped the most since April after the world's third-
biggest maker of power plants said sales rose 27 percent, driven by
increased investment in electricity grids. Nokia Oyj climbed after
Motorola Inc. of the U.S. posted a quarterly loss because it's
losing customers to the Finnish mobile-phone company.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European Stocks Decline; Barclays, Siemens, Royal Dutch Shell Lead Drop

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks fell for a second
day, led by banks and exporters, on concern that mounting U.S.
mortgage losses will hamper the world's biggest economy and slow
global expansion.

Barclays Plc, the U.K.'s third-largest bank, and engineering
company Siemens AG led declines. Royal Dutch Shell Plc retreated
after Goldman, Sachs & Co. recommended investors sell the oil
producer's shares.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European Stocks Fall; Berkeley, Homebuilders Drop on Home Depot Forecast

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks dropped for the first
time in three days after Home Depot Inc., the world's largest
home-improvement retailer, cut its profit forecast.

Berkeley Group Holdings Plc and Taylor Wimpey Plc led a
decline by homebuilders.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European Stocks Rise, Led by Marks & Spencer; Danone Falls on Numico Bid

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks advanced for a third
day, led by Marks & Spencer Group Plc after the U.K.'s biggest
clothing retailer reported first-quarter British sales that
topped analysts' estimates.

Groupe Danone SA paced declining shares after offering to buy
Royal Numico NV of the Netherlands for 12.3 billion euros ($16.8
billion).


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European Stocks Advance, Led by BHP Billiton, Anglo American, Boliden

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks advanced for a second
day, led by mining companies after a strike in Chile lifted
copper prices. BHP Billiton Ltd. and Anglo American Plc rose.

``For copper, a fair amount of the recent price premium has
come through because of the strikes,'' said Stephen Pope, head of
equity research at Cantor Fitzgerald in London. ``The mining
story is good. We're seeing very strong economic numbers and
that's underpinning'' the shares.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Oil steadies above $71, thin US fuel stocks support

(Reuters) - Oil steadied above $71 a barrel on Monday, underpinned by falling gasoline inventories in top consumer the United States and expectations of a recovery in refinery use.

Crude was so far little moved by security concerns that rippled through financial markets after a weekend attack on a Scottish airport, weighing on European stocks and boosting government bonds.


Read more at Reuters Africa

European Stocks Fall, Led by Banks, Insurers; Segro Tumbles on Downgrade

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks fell on concern
government reports in the U.S. may show the world's largest
economy isn't expanding enough to fuel earnings growth.

Schroders Plc, London's biggest publicly traded money
manager, and Allianz SE, Europe's largest insurer, paced the
retreat. Segro Plc slid the most in four months after HSBC
Holdings Plc recommended selling shares of the U.K. property
company, saying the commercial real-estate boom is over.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European Stocks Decline, Paced by Barclays, BNP Paribas, BAE Systems

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks dropped for a fourth
day as U.S. equities retreated. Barclays Plc, Britain's third-
largest bank, and BNP Paribas SA, France's biggest, paced the
decline after their U.S.-traded securities fell.

BAE Systems Plc tumbled after Europe's largest weapons maker
said the U.S. Justice Department started a probe of the company's
compliance with anti-corruption laws. Arcelor Mittal declined
after Merrill Lynch & Co. downgraded the steelmaker's shares.
Iberdrola SA dropped after the Spanish power company agreed to
buy U.S.-based Energy East Corp. for $4.5 billion.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European Stocks Decline; France Telecom, Anglo American Lead Slide

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks dropped as the French
government began selling as much as 3.8 billion euros ($5.1
billion) in shares of France Telecom SA and Cazenove downgraded
mining companies Anglo American Plc and Antofagasta Plc.

London Stock Exchange Group Plc, which agreed to buy Borsa
Italiana SpA for 1.63 billion euros, fell after the bourse was
put on review by Moody's Investors Services for a possible cut in
its debt rating.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European Stocks Decline on Ifo Report; Julius Baer, Maersk Lead Drop

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks dropped for a second
day after German business confidence fell more than economists
forecast in June, adding to signs that growth in Europe's largest
economy is slowing.

Julius Baer Holding AG fell after UBS AG sold part of its
stake in the Swiss Bank. A.P. Moeller-Maersk declined after the
company named a new chief executive officer. Pearson Plc rose after
the U.K. publisher abandoned a possible bid for Dow Jones & Co.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Banks, commodities boost FTSE amid global rally

(Reuters) - The UK's leading share index advanced on Wednesday, as commodities and banks helped European stocks keep up with a global rally and as the market shrugged off minutes from the Bank of England's June meeting.

Financial stocks extended their overnight gains on Wall Street, with Man Group, the world's largest listed hedge-fund company rising 1.9 percent.


Read more at Reuters Africa

European Stocks Decline, Led by BA, Merck KGaA, Pearson; ICI Rallies

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks fell for the first
time in four days on speculation gains last week were overdone
given prospects for earnings growth.

British Airways Plc led airlines lower as oil jumped to a
nine-month high. Merck KGaA dropped the most in two months before
GlaxoSmithKline Plc releases details on a lung-cancer vaccine.
Imperial Chemical Industries Plc surged 16 percent, sending the
Dow Jones Stoxx 600 Chemicals Index to a record, after Akzo Nobel
NV made an offer for the company.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News