Milling Wheat Futures Surge 5.3 Percent in Paris; World's Biggest Mover

(Bloomberg) -- Milling wheat futures climbed to the
highest in more than six months in Paris, the biggest price
movement of any commodity today.

Milling wheat for September delivery rose 9 euros, or 5.3
percent, to 180 euros ($239) a metric ton as of 12:06 p.m. on
the Euronext.liffe exchange in Paris. Prices have jumped 37
percent this year.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

South Korea's Kospi Index Jumps Most in 11 Months: World's Biggest Mover

(Bloomberg) -- South Korean stocks jumped the most
in 11 months after U.S. retail sales rose and the Federal
Reserve said growth isn't stoking inflation, damping speculation
interest rates will be increased in the world's biggest economy.
LG.Philips LCD Co. and Hyundai Motor Co. led exporters higher.

``As concerns recede a bit people can see what's really
happening, which is that economies are still strong,'' said Kim
Young Il, who oversees about $1.1 billion as chief investment
officer at Hanwha Investment Trust Management Co. in Seoul.
``There will be rate increases but only enough to control,
rather than cut off economic momentum. It's OK to buy stocks.''


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

French Stocks Rise, Led by Danone, Axa, Air Liquide While Sanofi Declines

(Bloomberg) -- French stocks advanced, paced by
Groupe Danone SA, Axa SA and other companies making part of
their revenue in the U.S. after the Federal Reserve said the
world's largest economy is growing without spurring inflation.

Shares in Air Liquide, the world's second-biggest maker of
industrial gases, rose after analysts at Citigroup raised their
price target on the company.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Wesfarmers Seeks $10 Billion of Debt for Coles Takeover Bid, People Say

(Bloomberg) -- A buyout group led by Wesfarmers Ltd.,
Australia's biggest home improvement retailer, is seeking to
raise about A$12 billion ($10 billion) to fund an offer for Coles
Group Ltd., said two people with direct knowledge of the matter.

The group met with 11 international and domestic banks in
Melbourne yesterday, the people said, declining to be identified
as talks aren't public. In addition to loans, it plans to sell
bonds in Australia and globally, they said. The debt will be
backed by Coles assets.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Oil holds around $70 after gasoline stock surprise

(Reuters) - Oil steadied at around $70 a barrel on Thursday, with traders catching their breath after a $1 spike on unexpectedly flat gasoline stocks and a deepening deficit in heating fuel supplies.

London Brent crude for July, which expires later in the day, rose 15 cents to $70.09 a barrel by 0745 GMT, adding to Wednesday's $1.15 rally after data showed gasoline stocks stuck at unseasonally low levels with the driving season getting into full swing.


Read more at Reuters Africa

UPDATE 1-Speedy Hire to buy Hewden tools for 115 mln stg

(Reuters) - Speedy said it would pay for the deal by increasing its
borrowing facilities to 325 million pounds from 210 million and
would also place 4.36 million new shares, or 9.5 percent of its
existing equity capital, in two tranches at 1,250 pence each.




The deal with Hewden Stuart, a unit of Canada's Finning
International Inc, will increase Speedy's number of depots to
over 540 from 361, give it a customer base of over 100,000, and
bolster its position in industrial and local authority markets.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Laos Seeks at Least $9 Billion Investment in Power Plants Over Next Decade

(Bloomberg) -- Laos, one of Southeast Asia's
poorest nations, seeks at least $9 billion of investment in
hydro and coal-fired power plants over the next 10 years to
boost electricity sales overseas and spur economic growth.

The country plans to tap its rivers and coal to build power
stations with a capacity of 8,000 megawatts by 2017, Xaypaseuth
Phomsoupha, chief of Bureau of the Secretary at Lao National
Committee for Energy, said in an interview in Bangkok yesterday.
Hydropower plants will account for almost all of the new
capacity, while the remainder will use coal as main fuel,
Phomsoupha said.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News