Crude Oil Falls on Speculation of Higher Gasoline Output, OPEC Supplies

(Bloomberg) -- Crude oil fell for a third day on
speculation that U.S. refineries are increasing their fuel
production and a signal that OPEC might be willing to pump more.

A report tomorrow may show refineries operated at 91.6
percent of capacity, a 10-month high, according to a Bloomberg
News survey. OPEC will raise output if required, an official of
Iran's Oil Ministry said. Hedge-fund managers and other large
speculators cut long positions, bets that prices would rise, last
week, according to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

Australian Dollar Snaps 4-Day Rally, Retreating From 18-Year High

(Bloomberg) -- The Australian dollar snapped a
four-day rally to an 18-year high on speculation traders betting
the central bank will raise interest rates won't add to holdings.

The currency has surged 4.5 percent in the past month as
interest-rate futures show speculators have fully priced in that
the Reserve Bank of Australia will lift borrowing costs by year-
end. Traders have increased bets on the Australian dollar,
figures on July 13 by the Washington-based Commodity Futures
Trading Commission show. It slid the most in a week today.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Australia's Dollar Snaps Four-Day Advance, Retreats From an 18-Year High

(Bloomberg) -- The Australian dollar snapped a four-
day rally to an 18-year high on speculation traders betting the
central bank will raise interest rates again won't add to
holdings.

The currency has surged 4.2 percent in the past month as
interest-rate futures show speculators have fully priced in
expectations the Reserve Bank of Australia will boost borrowing
costs by year-end. It slid the most in almost three weeks today.
Figures released July 13 by the Washington-based Commodity
Futures Trading Commission showed traders had increased bets on
the currency advancing.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Brent Crude Oil Rises Above $78 a Barrel, Nearing Record on Supply Concern

(Bloomberg) -- Brent crude oil rose above $78 a
barrel, nearing a record high, as a damaged pipeline in the North
Sea curtailed supplies and as speculators made their largest bet
yet on higher energy prices.

Brent gained after a BP Plc pipeline in the North Sea shut
down, limiting output from fields run by Chevron Corp. and
ConocoPhillips. Hedge-fund managers and other speculators increased
their bets on rising oil prices to a record last week, according to
U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission data.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

Japan's Bonds Head for Biggest Advance in Six Months on Subprime Concerns

(Bloomberg) -- Japan's 10-year bonds headed for the
biggest gain in six months after credit-rating downgrades of U.S.
subprime mortgages sparked demand for government debt.

The yield on the benchmark 1.8 percent bond due in June
2017 slid 5 basis points to 1.91 percent in Tokyo as of 9:30 a.m.
at Japan Bond Trading Co., the nation's largest interdealer debt
broker. The decline in yields, which move inversely to prices,
was the steepest since January 19.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Komag Call-Option Trading Surged Before Western Digital's $1 Billion Offer

(Bloomberg) -- Trading in options to buy shares of
Komag Inc. surged to a record June 25, three days before Western
Digital Corp. agreed to acquire the maker of computer disk-drive
components for about $1 billion.

Call-option volume jumped to 19,030 on June 25, a more than
sevenfold increase from the 20-day average, and remained above
10,000 yesterday and the day before. Call volume this week is
almost equal to the total number of contracts traded during the
entire month of May. Western Digital's agreement was announced
after the close of U.S. exchanges yesterday.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Total Is Selected to Market AED's Puffin Crude Oil Pumped From Timor Sea

(Bloomberg) -- Total SA, Europe's third-largest oil
company, won a selection process to market crude oil from AED Oil
Ltd.'s Puffin project in the Timor Sea, which is due to start
production next month.

The agreement for the marketing of Puffin North East Crude
Oil is with Total Oil Trading SA, or Totsa, Melbourne-based AED
said today in a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange. The
oil is a ``premium-quality light sweet crude,'' the company said.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

Japan Shares Rise on Oil, Nickel Prices, Weak Yen; Mitsubishi Corp. Gains

(Bloomberg) -- Japanese stocks climbed for a second
day. Trading companies including Mitsubishi Corp. led gains
after the price of oil rose to a nine-month high, while nickel
climbed the most in 10 weeks.

Honda Motor Co. led exporters higher after the yen fell to
the lowest in more than four years against the dollar, boosting
the value of their U.S. sales.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Asian Stocks Rise to a Record, Led by Japan's Mitsubishi; Canon, Toll Fall

(Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks rose to a record, led by
Mitsubishi Corp. after Daiwa Institute of Research Ltd. raised
share-price targets on Japanese trading companies and recommended
investors buy shares in Marubeni Corp.

``Trading companies have been eyeing various profit-making
opportunities where they can use earnings from their commodities
business,'' said Tomokatsu Mori, who helps oversee $7.4 billion at
Fukoku Capital Management Inc. in Tokyo.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Alcatel-Lucent, EADS, Faurecia, Ingenico, Total: French Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- Shares of the following companies may
rise or fall on the Paris stock exchange. Symbols are in
parentheses after company names and prices are from the last
close.

The CAC 40 Index rose 13.98, or 0.2 percent, to 6071.47.
The SBF 120 Index also increased 0.2 percent. Trading was
lighter than usual as the U.S. market was closed for a holiday.
Half of the 18 western European markets were also closed.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

AQuantive Options Trading Jumped Before Announcement of Sale to Microsoft

(Bloomberg) -- Trading in options to buy shares of
aQuantive Inc. rose yesterday before the online advertiser, long
the subject of takeover speculation, agreed to be acquired by
Microsoft Corp. for $6 billion.

An option to buy aQuantive shares for $35 by today's
expiration deadline jumped tenfold yesterday to $1. The price of
the option surged almost 29-fold today after Microsoft offered to
buy aQuantive for $66.50 a share, sparking a 78 percent rally in
the stock.


Read more at Bloomberg Exclusive News

Traders And Investors' Roles In The Marketplace

Many people use the words "trading" and "investing" interchangeably when, in reality, they are two very different activities. While both traders and investors participate in the same marketplace, they perform two very different tasks using very different strategies.

Both of these parties are necessary, however, for the market to function smoothly. This article will take a look at both parties and the strategies that they use to make a profit in the marketplace

Read full article at investopedia.com