Bollore expanding in transportation in Africa - report

(Reuters) - The Bollore group plans to spend over 100 million euros this year to expand its transportation business in Africa, French daily Les Echos reports.

The group of financier Vincent Bollore, which has a vast network of freight, shipping and stevedoring operations in Africa, wants to open new transport corridors and rebalance its investments between Western and Eastern Africa, the paper said.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Vattenfall Starts Brunsbuettel Reactor in Germany After Maintenance Halt

(Bloomberg) -- Vattenfall Europe AG, Germany's fourth-
largest power company, said it started the Brunsbuettel nuclear
reactor after the plant's annual maintenance halt.

The nuclear station started up on June 2, the company is
saying on its Web site. The 806-megawatt reactor had been stopped
since April 11 for annual maintenance.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

Philippine Peso Extends Gain to Highest Since 2000: World's Biggest Mover

(Bloomberg) -- The Philippine peso extended a rally
to the strongest since September 2000 on optimism the pace of
economic growth will attract international investors. Bonds fell.

The currency climbed 1 percent, the biggest fluctuation of
any currency today, as the benchmark Philippine stock index
advanced to a second straight record. The gains came after the
government last week said the expansion in gross domestic product
quickened in the first three months of the year, fueled by
consumer spending and exports.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

YouTube signs licensing pact with Hearst-Argyle TV

(Reuters) - Hearst-Argyle, which owns 29 local TV stations in the United States, will take an undisclosed cut of the advertising revenue YouTube earns when its users view clips of local TV stations owned by Hearst-Argyle, the spokesman said.




Hearst-Argyle of New York reaches roughly 18 percent of the television households in the United States.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Murdoch open to some concessions on Dow Jones: report

(Reuters) - "I can't put down $5 billion of my shareholders' money and not be able to run the business," Murdoch said in the interview. He also told the Journal he has "no plans to change anything" at the editorial or news sides of the paper.




The comments come ahead of a meeting scheduled for Monday between News Corp. and several key members of the Bancroft family, which holds 64 percent of voting power in Dow Jones.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

JGB futures hit a 9-month low, track Treasuries

(Reuters) - Last week's data showing Japan's unemployment rate fell to a
nine-year low in April also supported the view that the BOJ could
raise rates to 0.75 percent from 0.5 percent as soon as August.




"It's like getting a triple punch," said Eiji Dohke, a JGB
strategist at UBS.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

China's Stocks Plunge to Their Lowest in Five Weeks; Tsingtao Beer Tumbles

(Bloomberg) -- China's stocks fell to a five-week low
low after official media said the slide in shares since stamp
duty was tripled last week is a normal adjustment, suggesting
the government won't act to stem the decline.

Tsingtao Brewery Co. is among about 100 companies in the
index that fell by the 10 percent daily limit.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

ABN Amro, BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Fiat, Freenet: European Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following stocks may rise or fall
in European markets. Prices are from the last close.

The Dow Jones Stoxx 600 advanced 0.9 percent to 400.31. The
Dow Jones Stoxx 50 Index climbed 1 percent to 3972.45. The Euro
Stoxx 50 Index, a benchmark for the 13 nations using the euro,
increased 1 percent to 4556.97.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

South Korea's Kospi Index Advances to Record; Samsung, Hyundai Heavy Gain

(Bloomberg) -- South Korea's Kospi index rose to its
sixth straight record. Samsung Electronics Co. gained after U.S.
government reports suggested growth in the world's largest economy
will recover.

Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. climbed after Shinyoung
Securities Co. said ship prices and new orders momentum will stay
strong up to 2008.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Australian Stocks Climb to Record, Led by BHP, Rio on Higher Metals Prices

(Bloomberg) -- Australian stocks rose, headed for a
record close. BHP Billiton Ltd. and Rio Tinto Group led mining
shares higher after prices of metals including copper and nickel
gained.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index climbed 65.80, or 1 percent, to 6399.30
as of 10:14 a.m. in Sydney. Only eight stocks fell among the
index's 200 stocks, while 12 shares were unchanged.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Netherlands' Qiagen buying Digene for $1.6 billion

(Reuters) - The deal values Digene shares at $61.25, a 37 percent premium to its closing price on the Nasdaq on Friday, the companies said in a joint statement.




Netherlands-based Qiagen's acquisition comes as major drug makers pursue vaccines for cervical cancer, which is the second most common cancer in women under 40.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

ABC Learning, Coles, QBE Insurance, Woodside: 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 on Friday. Prices are from
Friday'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 added 0.1
percent to 6361 at 6:59 a.m. in Sydney. The Bank of New York
Australia ADR Index rose 1.4 percent in New York.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

UPDATE 1-Hillary biography questions presidential prowess

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, June 3 - Hillary Rodham Clinton has the
makings of a strong president but she is losing the personal
passion and authenticity that could make her a stand-out in the
U.S. political scene.




That's the picture that emerges from a new biography, "A
Woman in Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton," by Carl
Bernstein, who rose to fame with fellow reporter Bob Woodward
covering the Watergate scandal that led to the downfall of
President Richard Nixon.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Zimbabwe says making payouts to white ex-farmers

(Reuters) - Zimbabwe has started paying out money to former white farm owners in compensation for land seized by President Robert Mugabe's government to resettle blacks, according to a public notice issued on Sunday.

The government has already allocated Z$10 billion for the purpose. This is nominally worth $40 million on the official market, but fetches only around $182,000 on the thriving black market.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Candidates offer modest US health reforms for '08

(Reuters) - While analysts say the debate may increase the chance of
modest reform, it likely will not address the deeper flaws that
make the U.S. system more costly but less effective than those
of most other industrial countries.




The problems confronting the U.S. health care system have
only worsened since the early 1990s, when President Bill
Clinton and the Democratic-controlled Congress failed to pass a
sweeping overhaul. Republicans then won control.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

China says U.S. warning on toothpaste irresponsible

(Reuters) - "All the toothpaste exported to the United States had been registered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for marketing in the States."




The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued the warning on Friday after toothpaste containing DEG was detected in a shipment seized at the border.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News