European Stocks May Climb, Paced by ABN Amro, BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks may advance, paced by
ABN Amro Holding NV, after Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc,
Santander Central Hispano SA and Fortis offered 71.1 billion
euros ($95.6 billion) to buy the Dutch bank.

BHP Billiton, the world's biggest mining company, and Rio
Tinto Plc, the third largest, climbed in Australian trading as
copper rose in Shanghai. Vodafone Group Plc may be active after
reporting a loss that was more than analysts expected.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Yen rises, strong data boosts BOJ rate view

(Reuters) - The yen rallied from a three-month low against the dollar on Tuesday after upbeat data further stoked expectations that the Bank of Japan will raise interest rates in the coming months.

A drop in Japan's jobless rate to a nine-year low in April and consumer spending figures that beat market forecasts in the same month sent the two-year bond yield to a 10-year high and prompted investors to buy the yen.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Consortium bids 71.1 bln euros for ABN - Fortis

(Reuters) - Consortium member Fortis .



Fortis said the banks expected aggregate estimated cost savings of 4.23 billion euros and estimated profit enhancements from revenue benefits of 1.22 billion euros by the end of 2010.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

China's CSI 300 Index Advances to Record; Developers, Finance Street Rise

(Bloomberg) -- China's CSI 300 Index rose to a record
for a third straight day. Finance Street Holding Co. led
developers higher on expectation a stronger yuan will lure
speculative money into the property market.

``There's a consensus that the yuan will continue to
strengthen,'' said Yan Ji, an investment manager at HSBC Jintrust
Fund Management Co. in Shanghai, which manages about $517 million.
``That's good for property stocks, which are a nice investment
option for speculative money betting on the yuan's appreciation.''


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Cos. look outside developing countries -World Bank

(Reuters) - With growth in developing countries like China and India
outpacing that of wealthy nations, the new phenomenon of
corporate globalization is likely to intensify in the next few
years, the bank's annual Global Development Finance report
said.




"This is shifting the whole landscape of emerging market
finance from a sovereign-based framework to corporate based,"
the report's main author, Mansoor Dailami, told Reuters.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Euro to Drop to $1.335o as Futures Traders Cut Bets on Gains, Mizuho Says

(Bloomberg) -- The euro may fall to a seven-week low
of $1.3350 against the dollar as investors continue to unwind
bets on the currency, said Michiyoshi Kato, a senior currency
dealer in Tokyo at Mizuho Corporate Bank Ltd.

Hedge funds and other large speculators reduced bets the
euro will rise by 20 percent on May 22 from the previous week,
the biggest decline in three months, figures from the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission in Washington showed. The euro has
dropped 1.2 percent since May 15, when investors were speculating
on the currency's advance in record numbers.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

DaimlerChrysler, Deutsche Telekom, E.ON, Hugo Boss: German Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following stocks may rise or fall
in German markets today. Stock symbols are in parentheses after
the company names and prices are from the Xetra close on May 25
unless otherwise stated.

The DAX Index rose 41.82, or 0.5 percent, to 7739.20.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Japan Shares Climb, Led by Banks on Spending, Jobs Data; Shipowners Gain

(Bloomberg) -- Japanese stocks rose after reports
showed the nation's jobless rate unexpectedly fell to a nine-
year low and households increased spending for a fourth month in
April.

Lenders such as Mizuho Financial Group Inc. gained on
speculation the improving economic data will allow the Bank of
Japan to raise borrowing costs and lenders to increase their
profit margins.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Toyota's Sales May Grow Five Times as Fast as Forecast in North America

(Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp., wary of trumpeting
its success while U.S. automakers shut plants and cut jobs, is
downplaying its sales outlook in North America, said analysts and
investors -- who aren't buying it.

The company's sales in the region will grow as much as five
times faster than what the carmaker, poised to become the world's
biggest, predicts for the year ending March 31, according to
analyst estimates. North America accounts for about 60 percent of
Toyota's operating profit.


Read more at Bloomberg Exclusive News

South Korea's Kospi Index Is Little Changed; LG.Philips Gains, Posco Drops

(Bloomberg) -- South Korea's Kospi index was little
changed. LG.Philips LCD Co. gained after CJ Investment &
Securities Co. said earnings will improve ``in earnest'' from the
second quarter on rising panel prices.

Posco fell as some investors saw the recent price gains as an
opportunity to sell.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Japan's Government Bonds Drop on Jobless Rate, Household Spending Reports

(Bloomberg) -- Japan's bonds dropped after government
reports showed the jobless rate unexpectedly fell to a nine-year
low and households increased spending for a fourth month in April.

Yields on benchmark 10-year bonds rose 1.5 basis points to
1.74 percent as of 8:59 a.m. in Tokyo.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

New Zealand's April Job Vacancies Fall 2 Percent as Economic Growth Slows

(Bloomberg) -- New Zealand job vacancies fell 2 percent
in April from a year earlier, lagging behind an average 8 percent
decline through 2006, according to a government report.

The number of advertised job vacancies slipped to 7,125 last
month, the Labor Department said in a statement published on its Web
site. The department tracks job advertisements in 25 daily
newspapers.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

BHP Billiton, Coles Group, Woodside Petroleum: Australian Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies
whose shares may rise or fall in Australia. This preview includes
news announced after markets closed yesterday. Prices are from
yesterday's close unless otherwise stated. Stock symbols are in
brackets after the company names.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index futures contract due in June fell 0.1
percent to 6265 at 6:59 a.m. in Sydney. The Bank of New York
Australia ADR Index added 1.3 percent in New York.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Mexican 10-Year Bond Yields Drop to One-Month Lows on Slowing Inflation

(Bloomberg) -- Mexican 10-year bond yields fell to
one-month lows on expectations slowing inflation will boost the
allure of peso-denominated assets.

Investors ``are expecting that we are going to see a second
straight month of falling consumer prices,'' said Octavio
Gutierrez, a fixed-income analyst in Mexico City at Banco Bilbao
Vizcaya Argentaria's Bancomer unit. ``The worst part of the
inflation surge is probably behind us.''


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Quebec finance minister in talks on budget impasse

(Reuters) - Jerome-Forget said a dialogue was under way on obtaining
opposition party support ahead of Friday's vote on the budget.
The Action Democratique du Quebec and Parti Quebecois
are opposing the budget presented last Thursday by the
minority Liberal government.




Jerome-Forget did not say which opposition party she was in
talks with. During her speech she repeatedly criticized the
ADQ, but not the PQ.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Italian Stocks Advance, Paced by Monte dei Paschi and Generali Shares

(Bloomberg) -- Italian stocks advanced, led by Banca
Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA. The president of the bank's
largest shareholder told Corriere della Sera yesterday that the
company may chose a ``merger partner'' this summer. Assicurazioni
Generali SpA shares also rose.

The S&P/MIB gained 147, or 0.3 percent, to 43,166, after
dropping as much as 0.2 percent earlier. Twenty-two stocks rose
and 18 fell. Futures expiring in June increased 146, or 0.3
percent, to 43,260.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Chile Santiago retail sales rise 1.7 pct in April

(Reuters) - Retail sales weakened across sectors in the month, the
chamber said, with a contraction of 1.4 percent on an annual
basis in sales of furniture.




Weaker sales were attributed in part to continued problems
with a revamped transit system in the nation's capital.


Read more at Reuters.com Economic News

Brazil Stocks Rise For 1st Time in 4 Days, Led By Gerdau, Usiminas, Vale

(Bloomberg) -- Brazil's main stock index gained for
the first time in four days, led by mining company Cia. Vale do
Rio Doce.

The Bovespa Index of the most-traded stocks on the Sao Paulo
exchange rose 214.80, or 0.4 percent, to 51,832.77 as of 9:40
a.m. New York time.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Canadian Dollar Trades Near a 30-Year High Before Tomorrow's Rate Decision

(Bloomberg) -- Canada's dollar traded near a 30-year
high before the Bank of Canada's interest-rate meeting tomorrow,
when policy makers may raise concern over accelerating
inflation.

``Wide-held expectations for the Bank of Canada are that
rates are to be left unchanged once again,'' said Jonathan
Gencher, vice president of foreign exchange sales at BMO Capital
Markets in Toronto. ``The bank is likely to highlight the risk
of inflationary pressures building.''


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Crude Oil Falls in New York as Oil Workers in Nigeria End Two-Day Strike

(Bloomberg) -- Crude oil fell in New York after oil
workers in Nigeria, the biggest producer in Africa, ended a two-
day strike.

The government met union demands for higher pay, Lumumba
Okugbawa, deputy general secretary of the Petroleum & Natural
Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, said in Lagos today.
The West African nation is losing more than 600,000 barrels
of output a day because of violence, kidnappings and damage
to facilities.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

KKR quits group looking at Australia's Coles

(Reuters) - "I can confirm that KKR has joined CVC in withdrawing," a
spokesman for KKR told Reuters.
)




Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Slovak Koruna Gains Versus Euro on Expectations Bank to Keep Rates on Hold

(Bloomberg) -- The Slovak koruna rose against the
euro, snapping a five day losing run, on signs inflation will
remain elevated, prompting the central bank to keep interest rates
on hold tomorrow.

A government report today showed April producer prices rose
an annual 2.2 percent. Policy makers at the Slovak central bank
will probably decide to keep the benchmark rate at 4.25 percent
tomorrow, according to all 17 economists in a Bloomberg News
survey. The koruna was the best performer against the euro today
among 72 currencies tracked by Bloomberg.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Iran Protests U.S. Spying Activities as Ambassadors Meet in Iraqi Capital

(Bloomberg) -- Iran protested U.S. intelligence
activities, saying it discovered spy networks in the country, as
the U.S. and Iranian ambassadors meet today in Baghdad for the
highest-level formal talks between the countries since 1979.

The networks in western, southwestern and central areas of
Iran are an interference in Iranian internal affairs, the
official Islamic Republic News Agency cited Ahmed Sobhani,
director general of the Foreign Ministry's American department,
as saying in Tehran yesterday. Iran wants an explanation from
the U.S. over the issue, he said.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

French Stocks Including Axa, Credit Agricole Advance; EDF Shares Decline

(Bloomberg) -- French stocks including Axa SA and
Credit Agricole SA advanced. Electricite de France SA declined.

The CAC 40 Index rose 6.28, or 0.1 percent, to 6063.77 at
9:04 a.m. in Paris. The SBF 120 Index added 0.1 percent.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News