Asian Shares Trading in U.S. Have Best Weekly Gain Since March: BHP Rises

(Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks trading in the U.S. staged
their best weekly gain since March as higher oil and metal prices
bolsters BHP Billiton and other commodity shares.

The Bank of New York Co.'s Asia ADR Index, tracking the
region's American depositary receipts, added 1 percent to 166.37.
It jumped 2.6 percent this week, the best weekly gain since the
five days ended March 23.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

ACF, Brocade, CKX, Dow Jones, Everlast, J. Crew: U.S. Equity Movers Final

(Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies
whose shares are having unusual price changes in U.S. exchanges
today. Stock symbols are in parentheses after company names.
Share prices are as of 4 p.m. New York time.

AFC Enterprises Inc. (AFCE US) fell $1.25, or 6.4 percent,
to $18.22 and traded as low as $17.53. The owner of Popeyes
Chicken & Biscuits lowered its fiscal 2007 profit outlook to 81
cents to 85 cents a share. The Atlanta-based company had
previously expected earnings of 87 cents to 91 cents a share.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Cocoa Has Biggest Weekly Drop Since April on Rains, Ivory Coast Peace Pact

(Bloomberg) -- Cocoa, unchanged today in New York,
ended with the largest weekly decline since April on speculation
that favorable weather and a peace agreement in Ivory Coast may
increase global supplies.

Ivory Coast and Ghana, the world's biggest suppliers, may
receive rain over the next five days, said Meteorlogix LLC, based
in Woburn, Massachusetts. That may help the so-called main crop,
the larger of two harvests in West Africa. Ivory Coast also is
implementing a peace agreement to end friction between rebels and
the government that's curtailed cocoa supplies.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Mexican Bolsa Has Weekly Gain on U.S. Growth, Led by Cemex: Bovespa Rises

(Bloomberg) -- Mexico's Bolsa rose to a record for a
third day and had its biggest weekly gain in two months on growth
in jobs and spending in the U.S., which buys 80 percent of Mexico's
exports.

The Bolsa advanced 547.44, or 1.7 percent, to 31,946.40. The
index's 4.1 percent weekly gain, led by Cemex SAB, was the biggest
since March 23. Brazil's Bovespa index of most-traded shares on the
Sao Paulo exchange rose 1,107.12, or 2.2 percent, to 53,422.67, for
a weekly gain of 3.5 percent.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Peru Stocks Rise a Second Day on Spending, Metals: Bovespa, Bolsa Gain

(Bloomberg) -- Peru's main stock index advanced a
second day, rebounding from the worst drop in 12 years, as
investors gained confidence that rising consumer spending and
metals prices justify current share prices.

The Lima General Index climbed 609.66, or 3 percent, to
20,739.16 at 3:22 p.m. New York time. The index was still down 2.4
percent for the week. The index fell 0.3 percent in May, its first
monthly decline since March 2006. Mexico' Bolsa index and Brazil's
Bovespa both rose to records.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

Congolese Franc Rises 12% Versus Dollar Since February After IMF Warning

(Bloomberg) -- The Democratic Republic of Congo said
the franc rose 12 percent against the U.S. dollar in the three
months ended in May, following criticism of the nation's fiscal
policies by the International Monetary Fund.

The Congolese franc traded at 494 to the dollar on May 30,
compared with 562 to the dollar at the end of February, Jean-
Claude Masangu, Congro's Central Bank governor, said in a
statement issued today in the capital, Kinshasa.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

UPDATE 1-GM U.S. sales up 4.7 pct pct in May

(Reuters) - GM said it sold 375,682 vehicles in the United States last
month.




The results were adjusted for an extra selling day in May this
year.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Peru Stocks Rise a Second Day on Spending, Metals: World's Biggest Mover

(Bloomberg) -- Peru's main stock index advanced a
second day, rebounding from the worst drop in 12 years, as
investors gained confidence that rising consumer spending and
metals prices justify current share prices.

The Lima General Index climbed 673.28, or 3.3 percent, to
20,802.78 at 1:50 p.m. New York time, the biggest move among
markets included in global benchmarks. The index was still down 2.2
percent for the week. The index fell 2.6 percent in May, its first
monthly decline since March 2006.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

UPDATE 1-Citi to keep research firm FRC after Bisys buy

(Reuters) - BOSTON, June 1 - Citigroup Inc. , when it buys the financial services provider, a Citi
official said on Friday.




The decision puts to rest market speculation that Citi
might sell Boston-based FRC after its planned acquisition of
Bisys closes, which is expected in the second half of 2007.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Dollar Strengthens to Four-Month High Against Yen on U.S. Employment Gains

(Bloomberg) -- The dollar rose to a four-month high
against the yen and increased versus the euro as a stronger
labor market added to signs the economy is gaining momentum.

Futures traders reduced bets on a cut in borrowing costs by
the Federal Reserve after reports showed advances in hiring and
manufacturing. The central bank said in minutes of its May 9
meeting released this week that it still expects a pickup in the
economy this year and views inflation as its main concern.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Forzani Group says not in takeover talks

(Reuters) - Forzani, saying none of the inquiries has resulted in a firm offer, made the statement after a newspaper report said U.S. private equity firms Cerberus Capital Management and Apollo Management were interested in the retailer.



) Keywords: FORANZI/


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

WRAPUP 2-U.S. May jobs growth strong, prices muted

(Reuters) - WASHINGTON, June 1 - The number of new U.S. jobs
climbed by an unexpectedly brisk 157,000 in May, while factory
activity improved and consumers remained upbeat, according to
data on Friday which suggested the economy was bouncing back.




The May payrolls rise came on a surge of hiring by service
businesses and handily outstripped estimates for 130,000 jobs
from Wall Street economists surveyed by Reuters, Labor
Department data showed.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

ECB to Raise Key Rate 3 Times More to 4.5 Percent in 2007, HSBC Says

(Bloomberg) -- The European Central Bank will
increase its main lending rate three more times in 2007, HSBC
Securities said, raising its previous forecast.

The ECB will probably raise its benchmark interest rate by
a quarter-point to 4 percent this month, followed by two more
increases in September and December, HSBC economists Janet Henry
and Astrid Schilo wrote in an e-mailed statement today. The bank
previously forecast interest rates to reach 4 percent.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

China Stamp Tax Increase Fails to Rein in Surge in New Brokerage Accounts

(Bloomberg) -- Almost half a million Chinese opened
brokerage accounts the day after the government tripled the tax on
equity transactions to cool speculation in the world's fastest-
growing stock market.

``New investors don't seem to care about the increase in the
stamp duty, as they think that's a minor increase,'' said Yan Ji,
an investment manager at HSBC Jintrust Fund Management Co. in
Shanghai, which manages $517 million. ``If the market continues the
fast pace of the rally like before, that may trigger even tougher
crackdown measures.''


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Mexican Currency Reaches Strongest in Seven Months Amid U.S. Job Growth

(Bloomberg) -- Mexico's peso rose to a seven-month
high after a U.S. report showed employers hired more workers
than forecast last month, fueling optimism that demand for
Mexican exports will remain strong.

The peso rose as much as 0.4 percent, its third straight
daily advance. Payrolls in the U.S., Mexico's biggest trading
partner, grew by 157,000 in May, the Labor Department said
today. Job growth was greater than the 132,000 increase expected
by economists. The expansion in U.S. employment signaled
consumer spending will continue to drive dollar flows to Mexico.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Freddie Mac to sell $4 billion bills on Monday

(Reuters) - -- $2.0 billion of three-month bills due Sept. 9, 2007 to
be sold Monday and settle Tuesday; and




-- $2.0 billion of six-month bills due Dec. 3, 2007 to be
sold Monday and settle Tuesday.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Buyout investors fear more funds will hit returns

(Reuters) - Private equity fundraising is forecast by analysts to reach
as high as $500 billion this year after about $430 billion of
funds were raised in 2006.
Private equity investor returns are still gaining, however,
with 45 percent reporting net returns of 16 percent or higher
compared with 38 percent who said the same a year ago.




European investors have underperformed counterparts in North
America and Asia, largely because of greater exposure to
Europe's poorly performing venture capital sector and lagging
returns in Asia-Pacific buyouts, Coller Capital said.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

UPDATE 2-Venezuela confirms inflation accelerates in May

(Reuters) - The central bank said in a statement that the OPEC nation's
12-month inflation to May reached 19.5 percent compared to 10.4
percent the year before.




May's inflation was roughly in line with a Reuters survey
of seven financial institutions, whose mean estimate was a 1.6
percent rise for the month.


Read more at Reuters.com Economic News

European Stocks Rise on Takeovers; Iberdrola, Deutsche Telekom Pace Gains

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks climbed for a second day
as takeover speculation buoyed the utility and telecommunications
industries and a report signaled the U.S. economy is rebounding.

Iberdrola SA and Lafarge SA gained after a report Belgian
billionaire Albert Frere plans to raise money to increase his
stakes in the Spanish and French companies. Deutsche Telekom AG
and France Telecom SA led phone stocks to a five-year high.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Wal-Mart chairman says has confidence in CEO

(Reuters) - "It hasn't been an easy year, this last year," Walton told the meeting. But he expressed confidence in Scott and thanked him for his work for the company.




Rob Walton is the son of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Bad weather cuts Zambia '07 tobacco output

(Reuters) - Poor weather and a strong local currency have cut Zambia's 2007 tobacco output to an estimated 34 million kg from 37.1 million last year, a senior industry official said on Friday.

But officials say Zambia still expects to earn $52.7 million from the sale of burley and Virginia tobacco compared with $52.4 million earned last year because of higher prices.


Read more at Reuters Africa

TREASURIES-Bonds rise, as tame PCE offsets payrolls

(Reuters) - The benchmark 10-year Treasury note's yield was 4.89
percent, recovering from 4.92 percent set after the jobs data.




Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Dow Jones shares surge 15 pct, top Murdoch's bid

(Reuters) - That marked a sharp change from the Bancrofts' previous outright opposition. The family also said it would meet with News Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch to see if it can find a way to protect the editorial independence of Dow Jones after a sale.




Dow Jones shares surged $7.95, to $61.26, in pre-market trade.


Read more at Reuters.com Hot Stocks News

U.S. Stock-Index Futures Advance; Dell Shares Jump in Europe as GM Gains

(Bloomberg) -- June 1 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. stock-index
futures advanced after Dell Inc.'s first-quarter profit and sales
beat analysts' estimates, reviving speculation that companies'
earnings will keep rising.

Shares of Dell, the world's second-largest personal-computer
maker, jumped in Europe. The company, which reported results
after the close of markets yesterday, also announced a 10 percent
cut of its workforce. General Motors Corp., the nation's largest
automaker, increased before releasing April vehicle sales.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Stocks Gain in Europe; BHP Billiton, Vedanta, Infineon, AMSL Shares Rise

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks climbed for a second
day, paced by mining and technology companies, after copper and
gold rose in Asia and U.S. computer maker Dell Inc. reported
earnings that topped analysts' estimates.

BHP Billiton and Vedanta Resources Plc led gains by raw-
materials producers. Infineon Technologies AG, Europe's second-
largest chipmaker, and Dutch semiconductor-equipment maker ASML
Holding NV also rose.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

UPDATE 1-Software AG lifts forecasts after purchase; stock up

(Reuters) - Software AG said it now expected revenue net of currency
effects to rise 30-35 percent this year, compared with a
previous forecast of 14 percent.




Earnings per share were expected to reach 3.10-3.25 euros,
compared with its previous estimate of 3.00-3.20 euros.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Areva, Russia's Tvel Win Contract to Supply Nuclear Fuel to British Energy

(Bloomberg) -- Areva SA, the world's largest nuclear-
reactor builder, and Russia's OAO Tvel won a contract to supply
atomic fuel for British Energy, the U.K.'s biggest power generator.

State-owned Tvel will make fuel pellets and Areva will
assemble them into rods that will be sent to British Energy's
Sizewell B power plant by the end of the year, Moscow-based Tvel
said in a faxed statement today.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

China stocks fall but tax rumor doubted

(Reuters) - "It is natural that some rumors like this are swirling when market sentiment is not stable," said Zheng Weigang, senior analyst at Shanghai Securities.




"But I don't think it's true as the government just wants to cool the market, not crash it."


Read more at Reuters.com Hot Stocks News