Euronext Q1 sales up 15.6 percent

(Reuters) - Holding company NYSE Euronext started trading on April 4.




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UPDATE 1-Thomson agrees to buy Reuters for $17.2 billion

(Reuters) - The Founders Share Company could have blocked a takeover if it thought Reuters editorial independence was at risk.

"The combination of these two great businesses will create an exceptional global information company guided by the Reuters Trust Principles," Reuters Chief Executive Tom Glocer said in the statement.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Thailand's 10-Year Government Bonds Fall After Two-Year Sale; Baht Weakens

(Bloomberg) -- Thailand's 10-year local-currency bonds snapped an eight-day gain as yields at the lowest in more than 3 1/2 years prompted investors to buy new short-term fixed-income securities at an auction. The baht dropped.

The yield on 10-year notes has dropped more than 50 basis points since policy makers lowered borrowing costs for a third time this year on April 11. The central bank sold 50 billion baht of two-year notes today at an average yield of 3.26 percent from 3.87 percent at the March 27 sale.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Socgen's Fimat acquires Japan's Himawari CX

(Reuters) - TOKYO, May 15 - French bank Societe Generale's for the deal and the transaction will be made in cash.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

U.K. RICS House-Price Index Rose in April, Driven by London and South East

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. house prices rose in April as higher interest rates failed to stem gains in London and the southeast of England, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors said today.

The number of real-estate agents and land surveyors reporting higher home values in England and Wales outnumbered those showing declines by 28.9 percentage points in the three months through April, the London-based organization said. That's the most since December. In London, the balance was 86 percent.


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Oil steady; African outages, US gasoline support

(Reuters) - Oil steadied on Monday after two sessions of gains as traders feared African supply disruptions could further strain gasoline supplies in the United States when the peak summer driving season begins at the end of May.

London's Brent crude slipped 18 cents to $66.65 a barrel by 0108 GMT after gaining more than $1.50 over the previous two sessions, ending the week higher.


Read more at Reuters Africa

M&A buoys UK stocks, investors eye rates outlook

(Reuters) - Britain's index of 100 leading shares was flat on Monday, buoyed by M&A and a U.S.-led rebound, but investors braced for inflation data only days after the Bank of England suggested further tightening could be in store.

At 0750 GMT, the FTSE was up 0.8 points at 6,566.5.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Citi cuts S.Africa stocks to underweight, ups Israel

(Reuters) - Citigroup on Monday cut its recommendation on South African equities to underweight from neutral, citing exchange rate risks, but it raised Israel two notches to overweight.

The bank said it was becoming more cautious on emerging markets and forecast more modest returns of around 10 percent until the end of 2007.


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Dollar down vs euro ahead of US inflation data

(Reuters) - The dollar fell against the euro on Monday, ahead of U.S. inflation data this week and speeches from Federal Reserve officials that could yield clues on whether a cut in U.S. interest rates is likely in 2007.

The euro was also helped by euro zone bond yields setting new multiyear highs against a groundswell of market opinion that the European Central Bank will raise rates at least once more this year.


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Nippon Yusen Pays Nippon Oil 6.3 Percent More for Fuel Oil Loaded in April

(Bloomberg) -- Nippon Yusen K.K., Japan's biggest shipping line, agreed to pay Nippon Oil Corp. 6.3 percent more for fuel oil in April because of higher crude oil prices.

Nippon Yusen will pay $372 a metric ton for 180-centistoke C-grade fuel oil loaded last month, the company said today in an e-mail. That's $22.10 a ton more than it paid for the fuel in March. Prices for so-called bunker fuel are set retroactively.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

Malaysia's Inflation Rate Probably Last Month Held Close to 2 1/2-Year Low

(Bloomberg) -- Malaysia's inflation rate probably held near a 2 1/2-year low in April, giving the central bank room to keep interest rates unchanged to spur growth.

The consumer price index rose 1.6 percent from a year earlier, following a 1.5 percent gain in March, according to the median forecast of 18 economists in a Bloomberg News survey. The inflation report is due tomorrow at 5 p.m. in Kuala Lumpur.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

China's Citic Sells $1 Billion of Bonds in Its Biggest Sale in Dollars

(Bloomberg) -- Citic Group., China's fourth-largest oil producer, sold $1 billion of debt through one of its units to fund acquisitions in its biggest dollar-denominated sale.

The offering of 6.75 percent notes due in 2014 was Citic Group's second sale in dollars and the first for Citic Resources Holdings Ltd., the unit that issued the debt, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Kazakhmys, Pearson, Reuters, Travis Perkins: U.K., Irish Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following stocks may rise or fall in U.K. and Irish markets today. Stock symbols are in parentheses and prices are from yesterday's market close.

The benchmark FTSE 100 Index fell 10.20, or 0.2 percent, to close at 6555.50 in London as 45 stocks rose, 22 fell and 2 were unchanged. The FTSE All-Share Index lost 4.14, or 0.12 percent, to 3405.79.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News