Japan, U.S. firms to directly share defense info: paper

(Reuters) - According to the Nikkei, an agreement in principle was
reached last month at a meeting of defense and foreign
ministers from Japan and the United States in Washington, with
a formal agreement due later this month.




Defense Ministry officials were not available for comment.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

U.S. Congress could move quickly on Blackstone bill

(Reuters) - Backers of the bill were expected to spend the immediate future weighing reaction to it, with an eye on the narrowing window for legislation ahead of a scheduled August recess and the 2008 election campaigns kicking into high gear.




An aide to Montana Democratic Sen. Max Baucus, one of the bill's co-authors, said, "There's no immediate timetable for action, but we'll move forward as appropriate."


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Dollar Falls Against Euro as Inflation Eases, Industrial Production Stalls

(Bloomberg) -- The dollar fell the most against the
euro in two months on reports showing a measure of consumer
inflation rose less than economists forecast and industrial
production stalled last month.

The U.S. currency dropped versus all of its 16 most active
counterparts except the yen as the yield advantage of benchmark
Treasuries over comparable German bunds narrowed. The yen
weakened to an all-time low against the euro as Bank of Japan
Governor Toshihiko Fukui said the central bank needed to be
``more confident'' about price increases before raising rates.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

AIRSHOW-Airbus to hit 300 mln euro 2007 saving target

(Reuters) - But the initial savings boost will be offset by higher
research costs and the further impact of a weak dollar,
preventing the savings from reaching the bottom line this year.




Gallois, who is also co-chief executive of parent EADS, was
speaking at a briefing ahead of the Paris air show. Details of
the briefing were embargoed for publication on Saturday.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Yen Falls Most Against Dollar Since January as BOJ Holds Steady on Rates

(Bloomberg) -- The yen slumped the most
against the dollar since January as Bank of Japan Governor
Toshihiko Fukui said the central bank needed to be ``more
confident'' about price increases before raising rates.

Japan's currency reached an all-time low against the
euro as the yield advantage of 10-year German bunds and
comparable Japanese notes expanded to the widest in three
years. Treasury yields pulled back from five-year highs
reached this week as a government report showed core
consumer inflation abated.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Iran president rejects economic policy criticism

(Reuters) - "Some are against the ... government's success and they want
to make us tired and retreat, but be sure that they won't
succeed," President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said during a provincial
tour, according to the daily Donya-Ye Eqtesad.




The economists' letter, published in newspapers on Tuesday,
also said government foreign policy "had not been constructive",
drawing U.N. sanctions in a row with the West over Iran's atomic
plans.


Read more at Reuters.com Economic News

European Bonds Post Sixth Weekly Decline Amid Prospects for Higher Rates

(Bloomberg) -- European government bonds continued
their longest run of losses since January last week after central
bank officials said interest rates may need to rise to curb
accelerating growth in the $10.4 trillion economy.

Benchmark 10-year bonds fell for a sixth week as yields rose
to the highest since August 2002. European Central Bank policy
maker Axel Weber said June 14 that interest-rate policy is
``still far from being restrictive'' on economic growth.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News