UPDATE 2-Universal agrees to buy struggling Sanctuary

(Reuters) - LONDON, June 15 - Universal Music Group
has agreed to buy struggling British rival Sanctuary for
44.5 million pounds to develop its merchandising,
live agency and artist management businesses.




Universal unit Centenary Music Holdings said on Friday it
had offered 20 pence per share for Sanctuary, which manages
artists James Blunt and Elton John and markets merchandise for
over 30 big-name acts including Oasis and The Who.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Oil Falls From Near a Nine-Month High, Below $67.40 a Barrel in New Yorks

(Bloomberg) -- Crude oil fell from near a nine-month
high in New York as some analysts and traders speculated recent
gains weren't justified.

Crude oil for July delivery fell as much as 33 cents to $67.32
a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
The contract traded at 67.37 at 10:22 a.m. in London. Oil has risen
3.5 percent in the past two trading days.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Shell Nigeria tightens security after rebel freed

(Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell tightened security for staff in Nigeria's anarchic Niger Delta on Friday as a precaution after the release of a prominent rebel leader, security sources said.

Shell told non-essential staff to stay at home and restricted the movement of others because of uncertainty over how Thursday's court decision to free Mujahid Dokubo-Asari on bail would play out in the lawless delta.


Read more at Reuters Africa

FTSE climbs; Qatari stake-build boosts Sainsbury

(Reuters) - Britain's leading share index extended gains on Friday, joining a global stock market rally, with Sainsbury leaping into the lead after a Qatari group raised its stake in the supermarket chain.

Sainsbury jumped 4.8 percent after investment group Delta (Two) Ltd., said it had bought 123 million shares in the British supermarket group at 595 pence per share, boosting its stake in the firm chain to 25 percent.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Gold off highs, but weak yen lifts Tokyo

(Reuters) - Tokyo gold futures prices closed higher reflecting a weaker yen, which hovered at a 4-½ year low against the dollar, but they drifted off from session highs in line with the cash price.




Some dealers said gold's prospect looked a bit brighter since it recovered from a three-month low of $642.90 hit on Wednesday, while others thought the precious metal could come under pressure again.


Read more at Reuters.com Hot Stocks News

FTSE 100 Stocks Gain, Paced by Sainsbury; Vodafone Group Shares Advance

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks advanced for the
third day, paced by Vodafone Group Plc, the world's largest
mobile-phone company.

J Sainsbury Plc led shares of retail companies higher.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Brazilian Real, Chilean, Argentine Pesos: Latin American Currency Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following events and economic
reports may influence trading in Latin American currencies
today. Exchange rates are from the previous session.

Argentine peso: The economy grew 8 percent in the first
quarter from a year earlier, the national statistics agency said
yesterday.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News