France's CAC 40 Declines; Unibail, Air France, Sanofi Shares Lead Drop

(Bloomberg) -- French stocks slid after bond yields
in the U.S. advanced. Unibail SA, Air France-KLM Group and
Sanofi-Aventis SA dropped.

The CAC 40 Index declined 18.13, or 0.3 percent, to
6087.15. The SBF 120 Index also fell 0.3 percent.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

New Zealand Dollar May Extend Gain to Two-Decade High, RBC Capital Says

(Bloomberg) -- The New Zealand dollar may reach a
two-decade high against the yen in the next three months as
higher interest rates attract investors, according to RBC
Capital Markets Inc.

The appeal of New Zealand's benchmark overnight rate, which
is 7.5 percentage points higher than Japan's, may make it hard
for the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to stem further gains, said
Adam Cole, senior currency strategist at RBC in London. New
Zealand's central bank sold the local currency yesterday,
according to Cole. The central bank also intervened in the
currency market on June 11.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

FTSE falls as inflationary fears offset ICI glee

(Reuters) - The UK's leading share index drifted 0.4 percent lower on Monday, buckling under concerns over the outlook for inflation, but as ICI surged after rejecting an approach from Dutch group Akzo Nobel NV.

Bucking the trend in a sliding market, ICI soared more than 15 percent, leading the index after rejecting a 7.2 billion pounds takeover proposal from chemicals group Akzo Nobel.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Brazil's Lula says low inflation as vital as growth

(Reuters) - "Obviously we could be growing more ... but distributing
income and controlling inflation are just as important."




Lula also said he expected growth to pick up in the second
half of the year.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Oil Climbs to Nine-Month High; Nigerian Strike Threat Spurs Supply Concern

(Bloomberg) -- Crude oil rose to a nine-month high
after a coalition of labor unions in Nigeria, Africa's biggest
oil producer, threatened to strike this week.

Oil production is also likely to be affected during the
strike as Nigeria's two main oil unions plan to participate, said
Lumumba Okugbawa, deputy general secretary of the Petroleum &
Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, or Pengassan.
Nigeria produces low-sulfur, or sweet, crude oil, prized by U.S.
refiners because of the high proportion of gasoline it yields.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Brazil's currency gains on inflows, stocks steady

(Reuters) - The real , strengthened 0.26 percent to 1.907 per
U.S. dollar.




The currency has risen to near six-year highs against the
U.S. dollar and has undermined investment plans by local
manufacturers in machinery and equipment, Luciano Coutinho,
president of Brazil's state development bank BNDES, said on
Monday.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Rand firms on appetite for high-yield risk

(Reuters) - South Africa's rand gained on the dollar on Monday, boosted by continued investor appetite for high-yielding currencies and stronger emerging markets in general.

The local unit was trading at 7.0875 against the greenback ay 1520 GMT, 0.5 percent firmer than its previous New York close and extending a rebound from a 2-1/2 month low of 7.3645 hit on June 8.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Genzyme cites mixed results for Renvela powder

(Reuters) - Genzyme, which is developing the drug, Renvela, in a powder form as well as a tablet, said that the three-times-a-day powder version met the main goal of a trial designed to show it works as well as three doses a day of the company's kidney disease drug Renagel.




However, a trial testing one dose of powdered Renvela against three doses of Renagel tablets was not as effective and did not meet the trial's main goal.


Read more at Reuters.com Hot Stocks News

Immtech malaria drug gains U.S. orphan drug status

(Reuters) - Pafuramidine, Immtech's experimental oral drug, is in Phase
II clinical trials in patients with malaria.




Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

Ten-Year Treasury Yield Trades Near Five-Year High Before Housing Reports

(Bloomberg) -- Treasuries were little changed, with
yields near the highest in five years, before U.S. reports
forecast to show the housing market is slowing down.

An industry report today will show sentiment among home
builders matched the lowest since 1991, and a separate report
tomorrow will signal housing construction fell to a four-month
low, according to Bloomberg surveys of economists.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

CHRONOLOGY: Chemicals company ICI's major M&A deals

(Reuters) - Here is a chronology of major M&A deals involving ICI in recent years:




Sept 25, 1990 - Anglo-Dutch foods-to-detergents conglomerate Unilever's U.S. subsidiary acquires the assets of the Katalco hydrotreating catalysts business from ICI for about 5 billion pounds .


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

UPDATE 1-Cadence Design buyout talks stall-report

(Reuters) - Cadence, which makes software for designing computer chips,
has held talks with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts [KKR.UL] and
Blackstone Group [BG.UL], but discussions have been suspended,
according to the report, which cited people close to the
matter.




Neither Blackstone, KKR nor Cadence immediately returned
calls seeking comment.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

REFILE-IMF's Rato to central banks:watch out for inflation

(Reuters) - "Central banks must continue to be very vigilant on
inflation pressures, everywhere," Rato told reporters at a
conference.




He added that a recent spike in long-term interest rates
globally did not pose a threat to economic growth.


Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

Possible Pearson FT sale seen in Dow deal

(Reuters) - The world's largest educational publisher, London-based Pearson has long been under pressure from investors and analysts to dispose of the high-profile newspaper, a notion that has firmly been rejected by Chief Executive Marjorie Scardino.




The two business newspapers reported on Monday that Pearson was working with General Electric Co. to make a bid for Dow Jones & Co. Inc. in a deal that would place GE's CNBC business television channel, the FT and Dow's Wall Street Journal in one privately held joint venture.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Platinum Gains on Production Curb at South African Mine; Palladium Climbs

(Bloomberg) -- Platinum rose in New York after
Anglo Platinum Ltd., the world's largest producer, said it will
cut production at its biggest mine. Palladium also advanced.

Output at the mine in Rustenburg, South Africa, will drop
by as much as 15,000 ounces. The company plans to improve safety
after five workers were killed at the mine in the past two
weeks.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Alcoa, Apple, Authorize.Net, Cadence, Labopharm, Lee: U.S. Equity Movers

(Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies
whose shares are having unusual price changes on U.S. exchanges.
Stock symbols are in parentheses after company names. Shares
prices are as of 10:10 a.m. New York time.

Actelion Ltd. (ALIOF US) shares rose $3.74, or 8.8 percent,
to $46.45. A newly approved rival to its best-selling Tracleer
lung treatment may not be as big a threat as previously thought,
some analysts said. Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD US) on June 15 won
U.S. approval for ambrisentan, which will compete with Tracleer
as a treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension, a narrowing
of the arteries that causes shortness of breath and heart
failure. Gilead lost 44 cents to $80.39.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

US Treasury's Paulson applauds IMF forex changes

(Reuters) - The IMF earlier announcd the first revision to its legal
framework on currency surveillance since 1977 to reflect the
sweeping changes in the global economy over the past 30 years,
including the fast rise of China and India. The changes
stipulate that in addition to avoiding currency manipulation
and intervention, member countries should avoid policies that
result in external instability.




Paulson, who has been trying to persuade China to allow
more flexibility in setting the value of its yuan currency,
added: "The revised decision also demonstrates that the IMF is
serious about reforming itself and enhancing its legitimacy and
relevance in today's global economic and financial system."


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

US stock indexes flat as subprime worries offset takeovers

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks were little changed on Monday as lingering worries about the subprime mortgage market offset optimism about corporate takeovers.

Shares of Bear Stearns fell 1.5 percent after the Wall Street Journal reported that investment bank Merrill Lynch has seized $400 million in assets of a troubled hedge fund at Bear Stearns Cos. Inc.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Actelion, Alcoa, Genesco, Encysive, Labopharm, Lexicon: U.S. Equity Movers

(Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies
whose shares are having unusual price changes on U.S. exchanges
tomorrow. Stock symbols are in parentheses after company names.
Shares prices are as of 9:30 a.m. New York time.

Actelion Ltd. (ALIOF US) shares rose $3.74, or 8.8 percent,
to $46.45. A newly approved rival to its best-selling Tracleer
lung treatment may not be as big a threat as previously thought,
some analysts said. Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD US) on June 15 won
U.S. approval for ambrisentan, which will compete with Tracleer
as a treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension, a narrowing
of the arteries that causes shortness of breath and heart
failure. Gilead gained 5 cents to $80.88.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European Energy Exchange Plans to Publish Daily Data About Trading Actions

(Bloomberg) -- European Energy Exchange AG,
continental Europe's largest market for electricity, plans to
publish more information about its participants' power-trading
activities each day to boost market transparency.

The EEX intends to provide information about the traders
that are active on its day-ahead and derivatives platforms on a
daily basis. It will show how many are buying power and how many
are selling, the exchange said today in a statement on its
Web site.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

Alcoa stock up 2 percent on M&A report

(Reuters) - Analysts discounted the story from the Times of London newspaper.




"This is the same rumor that's been around for six months," said Charles Bradford, an analyst at Bradford Research/Soleil. "The current story makes very little sense."


Read more at Reuters.com Hot Stocks News

Nabi cuts 32 jobs; still exploring options for sale of co

(Reuters) - The company also said it expanded the role of Jordan Siegel
to senior vice president, finance and administration, chief
financial officer and treasurer.





Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

REFILE-IMF approves changes to currency surveillance-Rato

(Reuters) - "The new decision reflects current best practice in our
work of monitoring members' exchange rate policies and domestic
economic policies," Rato said in the prepared text of a speech
in Montreal.




He said that, while IMF's surveillance will continue to
focus on members' exchange rate policies relating to currency
manipulation and intervention in the currency markets, it will
now also ensure that "a member should avoid exchange rate
policies that result in external instability."


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

U.S. Stocks Gain on Acquisitions; Shares of Alcoa, Dow Jones Lead Advance

(Bloomberg) -- U.S. stocks rose for a fourth day on
takeover speculation, including a report that BHP Billiton Ltd.
may bid $40 billion for Alcoa Inc.

Dow Jones & Co. advanced after the Wall Street Journal
reported General Electric Co. and Pearson Plc are in talks to make
a joint offer for the newspaper's publisher, possibly beating out
News Corp. CBOT Holdings Inc., the owner of the second-largest
futures market, gained after two suitors said they may raise their
offers for the company.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Gold, Silver Rise in New York as Dollar Decline Boosts Investment Demand

(Bloomberg) -- Gold and silver rose in New York as a
decline in the value of the dollar against the euro increased the
appeal of the precious metals as alternative investments.

Gold generally moves in the opposite direction of the U.S.
currency, which fell for a fourth straight session against the
euro. Before today, gold had gained 3.2 percent this year while
the dollar had lost 1.4 percent against the euro.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

iPhone battery life longer than expected

(Reuters) - Apple, which saw its shares climb 2.7 percent in premarket trading, said its battery claims are dependent upon specific configurations and "many other factors."




Read more at Reuters.com Business News

US STOCKS-Wall St set to open higher on deal speculation

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, June 18 - U.S. stocks were poised to
open higher on Monday, boosted by deal news including a report
that BHP Billiton has revived plans for a $40 billion takeover
of aluminum producer Alcoa Inc. .




Shares of Alcoa rose 2.4 percent in trading before the bell
after the Times newspaper in London reported BHP Billiton
Ltd./Plc , the world's biggest mining group,
may bid for the aluminium producer.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

First Consulting acquires software company Zorch

(Reuters) - The deal is expected to be neutral to earnings in the
second half of 2007 and add thereafter, First Consulting Group
added.





Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

UPDATE 1-Community Banks restates to lower Q1 results

(Reuters) - The restatement would lower the first-quarter net income to
$6.6 million, or 28 cents a share, from the $9.6 million, or 41
cents a share, it reported in April, the company said in a
statement.




The bank holding company said it would reclassify a $3.1
million charge, related to an investment portfolio
restructuring, as a charge to its first-quarter earnings.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

RWE Starts U.K. Oil-Fed Power Plant as Spare Generation Capacity Declines

(Bloomberg) -- RWE npower, the U.K. unit of
Germany's second-biggest utility, started an oil-fired power
unit after forecasts for spare generation capacity in Britain
were cut. Hydroelectric plants also started producing
electricity.

RWE npower started the 660-megawatt unit 2 at its
Littlebrook-D plant at 10:30 a.m. London time, according to data
on a Web site operated by National Grid Plc, the manager of
Britain's power-transmission network. International Power Plc
and Scottish Power Plc started hydro plants, the data showed.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

3M, Actelion, Alcoa, EMI Group, Encysive, Nvidia: U.S. Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies
whose shares may have unusual price changes on U.S. exchanges
tomorrow. This preview includes news that broke after exchanges
closed two days ago. Stock symbols are in parentheses after
company names. Shares prices are as of 8:10 a.m. New York time.

Actelion Ltd. (ALIOF US) shares rose $1.25, or 2.7 percent,
to $47.70 in regular trading in Germany. A newly approved rival
to its best-selling Tracleer lung treatment may not be as big a
threat as previously thought, some analysts said. Gilead Sciences
Inc. (GILD US) on June 15 won U.S. approval for ambrisentan,
which will compete with Tracleer as a treatment for pulmonary
arterial hypertension, a narrowing of the arteries that causes
shortness of breath and heart failure.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

IMF approves changes to currency surveillance-Rato

(Reuters) - He said that, while IMF's surveillance will continue to
focus on members' exchange rate policies relating to currency
manipulation and intervention in the currency markets, it will
now also ensure that "a member should avoid exchange rate
policies that result in external instability."




Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Italy's S&P/MIB Index Falls for First Time in Four Days, Paced by Alitalia

(Bloomberg) -- Italian stocks dropped for the first
day in four, led by shares of Unione di Banche Italiane Scpa and
Alitalia SpA.

The S&P/MIB dropped 185, or 0.4 percent, to 42914 at
10:44 a.m. in Milan, as 23 of its 40 members fell. Futures expiring
in September rose 111, or 0.3 percent, to 43,360.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

South African Rand Gains Against Dollar as Investors Seek Higher Yields

(Bloomberg) -- The South African rand rose for a
fourth day, touching a two-week high, as investors returned to
the so-called carry trade in search of higher yields.

The rand was the second best-performing major currency
versus the dollar today as traders took advantage of the
relatively high interest rates in Africa's biggest economy.
Investors bought the country's assets, funding their purchases by
borrowing in the low interest rate Japanese yen and Swiss franc,
both of which fell to record lows against the euro today.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Trade powers set for last-ditch WTO push

(Reuters) - Top trade officials from the United States, the European Union, Brazil and India on Tuesday launch an 11th-hour attempt at a breakthrough in world trade talks that have long teetered on the brink of collapse.

World Trade Organization members pledged two months after the 2001 attacks on the United States to cut barriers to trade in the name of lifting poor countries out of poverty.


Read more at Reuters Africa

UPDATE 1-Consol Energy to buy Amvest for $335 million

(Reuters) - The company expects the acquisition, which includes Amvest
West Virginia Coal and Vaughan Railroad Co., to close early in
the third quarter. It would be financed partly through the use
of debt.




The purchase would add about 200 million tons of low-sulfur
coal reserves to Consol's holdings, as well as four coal
preparation plants.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Nordic Stocks Including Ericsson Advance; Oil Shares Decline

(Bloomberg) -- Nordic stocks including Ericsson AB
rose after the world's largest maker of wireless phone networks
received a contract from AT&T Inc.

Statoil ASA and Norsk Hydro ASA, the region's biggest oil
and gas producers, paced falling shares as oil retreated in New
York.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

U.S. Stock-Index Futures Gain on Acquisitions; Alcoa Shares Lead Advance

(Bloomberg) -- U.S. stock-index futures rose on
takeover speculation, including a report that BHP Billiton Ltd.
may bid $40 billion for Alcoa Inc.

CBOT Holdings Inc., the owner of the second-largest futures
market, gained after two suitors said they may raise their
offers for the company. Dow Jones & Co. may advance after the
Wall Street Journal reported General Electric Co. and Pearson
Plc are in talks to make a joint offer for the publisher,
possibly beating out News Corp.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

US STOCKS-Futures point to higher open on deal news

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, June 18 - U.S. stock futures rose on
Monday, boosted by a flurry of deal news including a report
that BHP Billiton has revived plans for a $40 billion takeover
of aluminum producer Alcoa Inc. .




Shares of Alcoa rose 3.7 percent in Europe after the Times
newspaper in London reported BHP Billiton Ltd./Plc
, the world's biggest mining group, may bid for the
aluminium producer.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Finish Line to acquire Genesco for $1.5 billion in cash

(Reuters) - The deal is expected to generate about $15 million to $20 million in annual cost savings beginning in the first full year of operations, the company added.




Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Euro Gains to Record Against Yen, Rises Versus Dollar Before Trichet Talks

(Bloomberg) -- The euro gained to a record against
the yen and a one-week high versus the dollar on speculation
European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet will today
signal policy makers will keep pushing interest rates higher.

Europe's currency rose against the yen as the extra yield
on German two-year debt over Japanese notes widened to the most
in five years, boosting the appeal of euro-denominated assets.
Interest-rate policy in Europe is ``accommodating'' for further
economic growth, ECB official Jose Manuel Gonzalez-Paramo said
today, signaling borrowing costs have room to rise.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

IBM sees software acquisitions key to profit rise

(Reuters) - International Business Machines Corp. is banking on software, which accounts for 20 percent of revenue but generates 40 percent of pretax earnings, to lift overall profitability of a company that spans computer hardware, services and software.




Gross profit margins at the company's software unit, led by Steve Mills, are typically the highest of IBM's four main businesses and stood at 83.6 percent in the first quarter. The hardware unit's profit margin, by comparison, was 34.8 percent, and global technology services came in at 29.2 percent.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Thailand's TMB Bank Won't Pay Interest on Hybrid Debt in July After Loss

(Bloomberg) -- TMB Bank Pcl., partly owned by
Singapore's DBS Group Holdings Ltd., said it won't pay holders
of its hybrid debt interest that's due next month after
reporting a loss last year.

Thailand's fifth-largest lender is scheduled to pay
interest of 270 million baht ($8.3 million) on $200 million of
securities, it said in a statement filed to the Singapore stock
exchange today.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Embraer Wins $3.1 Billion in MId-Size Jet Orders From Lufthansa, Japan Air

(Bloomberg) -- Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica SA,
a maker of jetliners for regional airlines, won orders worth as
much as $3.1 billion from Deutsche Lufthansa AG and Japan Airlines
Corp.

Lufthansa, Europe's second-largest carrier, ordered 30
Embraer 190 E-Jets and Japan Airlines ordered 10 170 E-Jets with
options on an additional five, the Sao Jose Dos Campos, Brazil-
based airline said today at the Paris Air Show.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

Yen Drops to Record Low Versus Euro as European Yields Attract Investors

(Bloomberg) -- The yen weakened to a record low
against the euro as the extra yield investors earn on European
bonds over Japanese notes widened to the most in five years.

Japan's currency also reached a 15-year low against the
Australian dollar and a 19-year low against the New Zealand
dollar, paring gains made after traders said the Reserve Bank of
New Zealand intervened. The yield difference, or spread, between
two-year German and Japanese debt expanded to the most since
August 2002, boosting the appeal of euro-denominated assets.
Japan has the lowest interest rates of any major economy.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

European Chemical Stocks, ICI Gain; Anglo American Falls, Tullow Oil Rises

(Bloomberg) -- European chemical stocks gained after
Akzo Nobel NV made an offer for Imperial Chemical Industries Plc.
Shares of ICI surged 16 percent.

Anglo American Plc, the world's second-biggest mining
company, led declines by basic-resource stocks, the region's best
performers so far this quarter.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Israel blocks shipments bound for Gaza: letter

(Reuters) - Israel wants to isolate Hamas Islamists -- economically, diplomatically and militarily -- in the Gaza Strip, while allowing funds and trade to flow to the Western-backed emergency government set up in the occupied West Bank by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.




"Given recent developments in the Gaza Strip and the closure of crossings between it and Israel, I hereby inform you that no cargo destined for the strip is to be released until further notice," an Israeli Finance Ministry official in charge of customs told international customs agents in the June 17 letter.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

European Stocks Pare Gains as Shares of Pearson, Siemens, Telefonica Fall

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks pared gains as shares
of Pearson Plc, Siemens AG and Telefonica SA declined.

The Stoxx 600 was little changed, slipping less than 0.1
percent to 399.04 as of 10:54 a.m. in London after gaining as
much as 0.3 percent. The Stoxx 50 lost 0.2 percent, as did the
Euro Stoxx 50, a measure for the nations sharing the euro.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Yuan Closes Near Its Highest Since July 2005; China May Allow More Gains

(Bloomberg) -- The yuan closed near its highest
since the end of a dollar link in July 2005 on speculation China
will allow appreciation to cool exports and investment.

Premier Wen Jiabao last week signaled more interest-rate
increases are needed to cool the economy after reports showed
exports and factory production surged in May and inflation
exceeded the government's 2007 target. The yuan had the biggest
weekly gain since the end of the peg.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

South African Stocks Advance, Led Higher by Impala Platinum and MTN Group

(Bloomberg) -- South African shares rose for a
fourth day, led by Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd. as the price of
the precious metal climbed the most in more than two weeks.

MTN Group Ltd., Africa's biggest publicly trade mobile phone
company, also gained.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

Czech Retail Sales Gained 8.1 Percent in April, Suggesting Rates May Rise

(Bloomberg) -- Czech retail sales in April grew 8.1
percent, underpinning expectations borrowing costs may be raised
for a second time this year as soon as next month.

Sales, including cars and motor fuels, rose from a year ago
after a record 10.5 percent in March, the Prague-based
statistics office said on its Web site today. The figure was
less than a median estimate of 10 percent by 11 economists in a
Bloomberg survey.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

Akzo Nobel says ICI rejected takeover approach

(Reuters) - It said there was no certainty it would make a further proposal to ICI or that any offer would result.




Akzo did not give any financial details. A source told Reuters on Sunday it had offered about 600 pence a share.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

European Chemical Stocks, ICI Rally on Bid; Sainsbury Gains, Pearson Falls

(Bloomberg) -- European chemical makers gained after
Akzo Nobel NV made an offer for Imperial Chemical Industries Plc,
fueling speculation of more acquisitions in the industry.

Sainsbury Plc rose on a report that a Qatar-backed
investment group is considering making a bid for the supermarket
chain. Pearson Plc fell after the Wall Street Journal said the
company was in talks with General Electric Co. to make a joint
offer for Dow Jones & Co.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European shares mixed in early trade; ICI sparkles

(Reuters) - European shares were mixed early on Monday as acquisition talk spurred gains in British chemicals group ICI but French stocks underperformed after President Nicolas Sarkozy failed to win a forecast landslide in parliamentary polls.

At 0718 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares was up 0.03 percent at 1,626.38 points, after rising 3.7 percent last week.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Rand holds firm vs dollar

(Reuters) - South Africa's rand stayed on firm ground against the dollar in quiet Monday trade, and should take direction during the session from overseas market trends, traders said.

At 0640 GMT the domestic currency was trading at 7.1060 per dollar, 0.2 percent stronger than its New York close of 7.1225 on Friday and pulling back from an earlier slip to 7.14/dollar.


Read more at Reuters Africa

European Chemical Stocks, ICI May Rally on Offer; Sainsbury May Advance

(Bloomberg) -- European chemical makers may gain after
Akzo Nobel NV made an offer for Imperial Chemical Industries Plc,
fueling speculation of more acquisitions in the industry.

Sainsbury Plc will probably rise on a report that a Qatar-
backed investment group is considering making an offer for the
supermarket chain. ING Groep NV, Siemens AG and Unilever might
decline after their U.S.-traded securities ended lower than their
shares closed in Europe.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News