Altria shares up as focus turns to board meeting

(Reuters) - "I expect the stock to be strong going into this meeting," Charles Norton, portfolio manager of the Vice Fund , said.




Altria has said that it is still considering a possible spinoff of PMI and has declined to comment on timing or the amount of any subsequent stock repurchases that might occur.


Read more at Reuters.com Hot Stocks News

Wall Street set for firmer start

(Reuters) - In focus will be a series of economic data, including consumer confidence data fur July at 1400 GMT, June's personal consumption expenditures data at 1230 GMT and July's Chicago PMI at 1345 GMT as well as construction spending data for June at 1400 GMT.




Investors hope to get an indication of whether the weakness in the subprime mortgage sector has spread to consumers yet, Heinz-Gerd Sonnenschein from Germany's Postbank said.


Read more at Reuters.com Hot Stocks News

S.Africa Jan PMI up as business activity grows

South African manufacturing activity grew faster in January and buoyant new sales coupled with upbeat expectations suggest further robust growth ahead, the country's Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) showed on Thursday.

Sponsors Investec said the PMI index rose to 57.2 in January from 54.8 in December on a seasonally adjusted and annualised basis, moving further above the 50 line that divides growth from contraction.

Read more at Reuters South Africa