Friday, April 20, 2007

Highland still seeking meeting with Delphi

(Reuters) - In the filing, Highland said it had originally requested a meeting after "recent public disclosures" that a $3.4 billion plan led by Cerberus Capital Management LP and Appaloosa Management LP had hit an impasse.

Highland, which is Delphi's second-largest shareholder, also said it may have ongoing talks with other Delphi stakeholders as well as outside third parties, including financial institutions in the interim.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Gold hits 11-month high, platinum jumps on dollar, ETF

(Reuters) - Gold hit a new 11-month high on Friday and platinum rose to its highest in five months, buoyed by a weaker dollar and on hopes proposed exchange traded funds would boost demand for precious metals.

A rebound in Chinese stock markets also helped the bullion market, as it eased concerns that a possible hike in interest rates could hit demand in China.


Read more at Reuters Africa

U.S. Treasuries Poised for Best Gain in Seven Weeks on Slower Inflation

(Bloomberg) -- U.S. 10-year Treasuries headed for the biggest gain in seven weeks on speculation slowing inflation will provide scope for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates this year.

Treasuries snapped a four-week run of losses as a government report on April 17 showed prices excluding energy and food rose less than economists forecast last month. Economic growth in the quarter ended March may be the slowest in more than a year, according to a Bloomberg News survey of economists.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

UPDATE 1-Carrefour close to buying Brazil's Atacadao-report

(Reuters) - Carrefour declined to comment and at Atacadao no one was available for comment on the report.

Earlier this week, the French group won exclusive rights to negotiate the purchase of the Brazilian chain.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Mexico's Peso Gains for First Time in Three Days on U.S. Rate Speculation

(Bloomberg) -- Mexico's peso rose for the first day in three as speculation the Federal Reserve will cut U.S. interest rates made higher-yielding emerging-market securities more attractive. Mexican local-currency bonds also gained.

A U.S. government report this week showing slower core inflation has prompted traders to raise bets the Fed will cut rates this year for the first time since 2003.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Schlumberger says happy with Venezuela's PDVSA

(Reuters) - In its first-quarter earnings press release, Schlumberger said that drilling and engineering contracts associated with drilling barges in Venezuela were finalized, which allowed the company to book previously deferred revenue.




Read more at Reuters.com Market News

UPDATE 2-McDonald's sets Latin America sale, earnings up

(Reuters) - CHICAGO, April 20 - McDonald's Corp. reported higher first-quarter earnings on Friday on strong U.S. demand for its new chicken Snack Wrap and improved performance in international markets such as China, Japan, France and Russia.

The world's largest hamburger chain operator also said it has reached an agreement to franchise nearly 1,600 restaurants in Latin America and the Caribbean to an organization led by entrepreneur Woods Staton. McDonald's said it expected to receive about $700 million for the sale of the operations and will use the funds for dividends and share repurchases. The company now expects to pay out $5.7 billion for dividends and share repurchases in 2007 and 2008.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

America Movil, Telmex, Besc, Vale do Rio Doce and Net: Latin Equity Movers

(Bloomberg) -- The following are the most-active stocks in Brazilian and Mexican markets today. In Brazil, the preferred share is usually a company's most-traded class of stock.

The Bovespa index of the most-traded stocks on the Sao Paulo exchange rose 463.46, or 1 percent, to 49,225.59 at 10:07 a.m. New York time. Mexico's Bolsa index rose 272.95 points, or 0.9 percent, to 29,887.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

UPDATE 1-Colombia's Uribe says Gore snubs him over scandal

(Reuters) - BOGOTA, April 20 - Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, facing allegations that he supported right-wing death squads, said former U.S. Vice President Al Gore pulled out of a conference on Friday where the two were scheduled to speak.

Uribe said Gore's office contacted him to say he would not attend the conference in Miami because of the scandal in which eight members of Uribe's congressional coalition are in jail awaiting trial for backing drug-running paramilitaries.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Flood at Canada Uranium Mine Is Tied to Blasting, Poor Pumping by Cameco

(Bloomberg) -- Cameco Corp. announced at 2:11 a.m. on Oct. 23 that its Cigar Lake uranium mine in northwest Canada had flooded after a ``rock fall,'' jeopardizing the world's richest undeveloped source of nuclear fuel.

In the six months since, Cameco has said little about the circumstances behind a disaster that will delay production at its $25.5 billion claim for up to three years.


Read more at Bloomberg Exclusive News

Canada Dollar Heads for Weekly Gain on Rising Retail Sales, Commodities

(Bloomberg) -- Canada's dollar rose to near its five-month high after a report showed retail sales in February unexpectedly advanced.

The currency was headed for a fifth straight week of gains, its longest rally since mid-2004, as a strengthening economy and higher commodity prices also attracted investors. The Bank of Canada meets April 24 to decide on its benchmark interest rate, at 4.25 percent since May 24.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Brazil Local Bonds Head to Biggest Weekly Gain in 7 Months on Rate Outlook

(Bloomberg) -- Brazilian local-currency bonds headed to their biggest weekly gain since early September on bets the central bank will further reduce borrowing costs amid little evidence of inflation.

The central bank on April 18 signaled it may quicken the pace of rate cuts when three of the central bank's seven directors pushed for a bigger cut than the quarter-percentage point reduction to 12.50 percent agreed upon.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

U.S. Stocks Rally on Earnings; Dow Average Sets Its Third Straight Record

(Bloomberg) -- The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed to a third straight record after first-quarter results from Caterpillar Inc., Honeywell International Inc. and American Express Co. surpassed forecasts.

Caterpillar, the biggest earthmoving equipment maker, raised its 2007 per-share profit outlook. At Honeywell, earnings rose on higher demand for energy-saving building products and jet parts. Increased customer spending helped American Express, the fourth- largest U.S. credit-card issuer, post a record profit. Twenty- eight of the Dow average's 30 members advanced.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Oil Rises on Concern Election Violence Will Disrupt Shipments From Nigeria

(Bloomberg) -- Crude oil rose on concern that tomorrow's presidential election in Nigeria, Africa's biggest oil producer, may result in a disruption of shipments.

Militants in Nigeria's delta region who've halted almost a quarter of the nation's oil production say their campaign for control of local resources won't be stopped by the election. Nigeria was the fifth-largest source of U.S. oil imports last year. The country produces low-sulfur oil that is prized by U.S. refiners because of the high proportion of gasoline it yields.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

Absa sees good foreign interest in new notes

(Reuters) - South Africa's biggest retail bank Absa saw good foreign interest in recently launched senior debt notes and expected similar interest in longer-dated debt to be issued in coming months, a bank official said on Friday.

Absa's banking arm, Absa Bank Ltd. successfully launched its senior bond programme on Wednesday through an inaugural auction of 250 million rand worth of ABS5 bonds maturing in May 2015.


Read more at Reuters Africa

UPDATE 1-Sonoco posts higher earnings, raises outlook

(Reuters) - Net income increased to $53.1 million, or 52 cents a share, from $45.1 million, or 44 cents a share, a year earlier.

Excluding special items, earnings rose to 57 cents per share from 46 cents, the Hartsville, South Carolina-based company said. In February, it had forecast a profit of 47 cents to 50 cents per share.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Barclays reintroduces Barclaycard in South Africa

(Reuters) - Britain's Barclays will reintroduce its Barclaycard branded credit cards in South Africa after a two-decade absence, the group said on Friday.

Barclays said its Barclaycard Visa credit cards will be available in South Africa from Friday and will be issued through South Africa's biggest retail bank, Absa, majority owned by the British banking group.


Read more at Reuters Africa

H&R Block to sell subprime unit

(Reuters) - It will depend on the value of Option One's tangible net assets when the deal closes, expected to happen in H&R Block's quarter ended October 31. Cerberus will pay the value of those assets -- $1.27 billion as of January 31 -- less $300 million, H&R Block said.

H&R Block will also have the option of selling some Option One assets before the deal closes.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

McDonald's profit up, sets LatAm franchise plan

(Reuters) - McDonald's said it expected to receive about $700 million for the sale of the operations and will use the funds for dividends and share repurchases. The company now expects to pay out $5.7 billion for dividends and share repurchases in 2007 and 2008.

The company also said it will post a second-quarter charge of about $1.6 billion related to the sale of the restaurants, about half of which will be for the difference between the book value of the assets being sold and the cash proceeds. The other half will be for accumulated currency losses, the company said.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

US STOCKS-Wall St seen sharply higher on profits

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, April 20 - Wall Street was set to open sharply higher on Friday, as investors cheered a flurry of stronger-than-expected financial results from companies such as Google Inc. and heavy-equipment maker Caterpillar Inc. .

Shares of Caterpillar, a Dow component, surged 6.4 percent in electronic composite trading after it posted stronger-than-expected profits and is likely to help push the blue-chip average past Thursday's record close, its second day in a row.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Google, H&R Block, Nokia, Palm, Pfizer, Robert Half: U.S. Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies whose shares may have unusual price changes in U.S. exchanges today. This preview includes news that broke after exchanges closed yesterday. Stock symbols are in parentheses after company names. Share prices are as of 7:30 a.m. New York time.

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD US) rose 12 cents to $14.40 in trading before the open of U.S. exchanges. There is speculation the second-largest maker of personal-computer processors may receive an investment from a private equity company.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

UPDATE 1-Manpower 1st-quarter earnings rise 13 percent

(Reuters) - Net earnings rose 13 percent to $59.5 million or 69 cents per share, compared with $52.6 million, or 59 cents per share a year earlier.

Analysts, on average, had expected profit of 61 cents per share, according to Reuters Estimates.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

UPDATE 1-Xerox quarterly profit higher, beats forecast

(Reuters) - First-quarter net income was $233 million, or 24 cents a share, up from $200 million, or 20 cents a share, a year earlier.

Excluding costs related to restructuring, profit was 26 cents a share, 5 cents better than analysts' average forecast as compiled by Reuters Estimates.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

European Stocks Rally, Led by Alliance Boots, Societe Generale; SAP Climbs

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks climbed for the first time in three days after Alliance Boots Plc received a sweetened $21.3 billion offer and takeover speculation intensified in the banking and steel industries.

Societe Generale SA rallied the most in four years as investors bet the bank may merge with UniCredit SpA. Vallourec SA gained on talk it may be bought by Arcelor Mittal, the world's largest steelmaker. SAP AG rose after posting higher earnings.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Xerox quarterly profit rises

(Reuters) - Excluding special charges, profit was 22 cents a share. Analysts on average were expecting 21 cents, according to Reuters Estimates.

The Stamford, Connecticut, company, which earlier this month said it would buy office technology products provider Global Imaging Systems Inc. for $1.5 billion, has in recent years delivered steady profits, despite its struggle to spur revenue growth.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Wachovia, Energy Partners Lead Companies Selling $11 Billion of Bonds

(Bloomberg) -- Wachovia Corp., the fourth-biggest U.S. bank, and oil company Energy Partners Ltd. led borrowers selling $11 billion of bonds this week as a government report showed an increase in international demand for U.S. company debt.

Sales increased from $9.2 billion last week, which was the lowest total of the year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The weekly average for 2007 is $23.1 billion. Charlotte, North Carolina-based Wachovia sold $1.5 billion in floating-rate notes, while Energy Partners of New Orleans issued $450 million of speculative-grade debt.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

UPDATE 2-China Mobile Q1 profit rises 22 pct on user growth

(Reuters) - HONG KONG, April 20 - China Mobile Ltd. , the world's top cellular carrier by subscribers, beat forecasts with a 22 percent rise in first-quarter earnings on Friday thanks to strong subscriber growth.

The mobile giant, which controls about two-thirds of the country's cellular market, had 316.12 million mobile users at the end of March, company statistics showed.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Pfizer earnings fall, hurt by charges, generics

(Reuters) - Excluding special items, New York-based Pfizer earned 68 cents per share. Analysts on average expected 57 cents per share, according to Reuters Estimates.




Read more at Reuters.com Business News

De Beers launches restructuring of Diamdel unit

(Reuters) - Diamond giant De Beers has launched a restructuring of its Diamdel sales operation as part of a wider review to boost efficiency of the group, an official said on Friday.

De Beers has entered a 30-day consultation period with the staff of global units of Diamdel, which sells gems to clients who are not among specially selected "sightholders", London-based spokeswoman Lynette Gould said.


Read more at Reuters Africa

U.S. stocks poised to rise after Google earnings

(Reuters) - The Dow Jones industrial average hit a record high on Thursday as robust earnings from major drug companies like Schering-Plough and Merck & Co. offset some of the pessimism growing over the potential for declining Chinese demand for U.S. imports.

U.S. stock futures suggested the major indexes could post a slight rise, underpinned in part by Google, which reported earnings that beat Wall Street's expectations and drove its share price up by over 3 percent after the closing bell.


Read more at Reuters.com Hot Stocks News

European Stocks Climb, Led by Alliance Boots, SAP, Nokia; BHP Advances

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks advanced for the first time in three days after Alliance Boots Plc received a sweetened $21.3 billion takeover offer and SAP AG announced higher earnings.

Nokia Oyj climbed to a one-year high after analysts recommended buying the shares. BHP Billiton Ltd. and Anglo American Plc led mining companies higher as copper gained.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Kelda gets regulatory approval for Aquarion sale

(Reuters) - It sold the business for an enterprise value of around $860 million and an equity consideration of $625 million and has said the group would return 750 million pounds to shareholders.




Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Europe shares rise as focus shifts to M&A, results

(Reuters) - European shares rose in early trade on Friday, tracking Asian stocks higher and shaking off worries about Chinese interest rates as the focus moved back to corporate results and acquisition activity.

At 0803 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 was up 0.6 percent at 1,569.33 points, with major indexes in Britain, Germany and France up 0.5 percent and Germany's DAX up 0.8 percent.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Botswana may up bond issuance to mop up liquidity - c.bank

(Reuters) - Botswana will likely issue more domestic bonds to mop up excess liquidity in its financial system, Botswana's central bank governor said on Thursday.

Although Botswana's inflation rate has been slowing, Governor Linah Mohohlo said she was concerned by forecasts showing that liquidity would continue to grow.


Read more at Reuters Africa

GM eyes more China buys amid consolidation

(Reuters) - GM CEO Rick Wagoner told reporters ahead of the April 22-28 Shanghai Auto Show that the U.S. automaker was interested in maybe buying smaller local operations in China as a tool to expanding in the world's fastest-growing car market.

"We've been playing in the consolidation business and it worked great for SGM, and we'd be interested in more," Wagoner said, referring to a tie-up with Shanghai Automotive Co. Ltd. .


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Russia's Micex Halts Trading in Moscow After Second Glitch in Two Days

(Bloomberg) -- Trading on the Micex Stock Exchange, Russia's biggest, stopped today after a power outage shut down its computer systems, the second glitch in two days.

Trading stopped at about 10:33 a.m., three minutes after the market opened, Micex spokesman Vadim Egorov said.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Copper May Fall Next Week on Speculation Surplus Will Persist, Survey Says

(Bloomberg) -- Copper may fall next week on speculation that an oversupply in the global market will continue through this year.

Eleven of 16 people surveyed yesterday and April 18 forecast copper will drop next week. Five expected an increase. Copper for delivery in three months on the London Metal Exchange has gained 2 percent so far this week, taking the contract's gain in 12 months to 25 percent.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

China shares regain almost all Thursday losses

(Reuters) - Turnover in Shanghai A shares was heavy at 155.1 billion yuan , though down from Thursday's record 186.7 billion yuan.

Thursday's tumble was caused by news that consumer price inflation jumped to 3.3 percent in March from 2.7 percent in February. That makes a 0.27 percentage point hike in benchmark interest rates likely in coming days or weeks, analysts said.


Read more at Reuters.com Hot Stocks News

Nippon Life eyes less foreign bond buying in 07/08

(Reuters) - Nippon Life, which expects the benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond yield to rise to around 2.0 percent by the end of March 2008, plans to increase its domestic bond holdings by 500 billion yen in fiscal 2007/08.

Half of that increase is likely to be in JGBs and the rest will go to non-JGB issues including asset-backed securities.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News