Barloworld sells US truck, vacuum technology units

(Reuters) - South African industrial conglomerate Barloworld has sold its U.S. freightliner truck centre to a consortium at a premium to its net asset value and has sold its vacuum technology business, it said on Monday.

Barloworld did not give financial details of either deal and said the two disposals were in line with its strategy of selling non-core assets and focusing on distribution.


Read more at Reuters Africa

US STOCKS-Futures up in jittery market, eyes on Fed

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, Aug 6 - U.S. stock futures edged higher
on Monday as fallout from the housing slump fanned speculation
the Federal Reserve may adopt a policy statement that reassures
investors worried about the economy's health.




In a positive note for the battered financial services
sector, UBS raised its rating on shares of brokerage Merrill
Lynch to a "buy" from "neutral," according to
theflyonthewall.com. Merrill shares rose 2.1 percent to $71.51
before the bell.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Nordic Shares Slide, Paced by Statoil, Norsk Hydro, Nordea Bank, Boliden

(Bloomberg) -- Nordic stocks fell for a second day,
led by Statoil ASA and Norsk Hydro ASA, Norway's largest oil
producers, as crude oil prices declined. DNO ASA, the Norwegian
oil explorer, slid the most in a week.

Nordea Bank AB sank to a five-month low after Goldman, Sachs
& Co. recommended selling shares in the region's largest lender
on concern earnings growth will slow.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Israeli Bonds Rise as Yields Near 10-Month High Lure Buyers, Stocks Gain

(Bloomberg) -- Israel's benchmark Shahar bonds rose
as the stock market rallied and yields near their highest in 10
months attracted buyers.

Investors returned to the Shahar after concern that U.S.
subprime losses are spreading to the wider economy yesterday
pushed 10-year yields up 14 basis points, their biggest advance
in five days. Israel's main stock index snapped three days of
losses and the spread between the Shahar and the equivalent
Treasury narrowed, after doubling in the past two weeks.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Dollar slides broadly as credit mkt jitters weigh

(Reuters) - The dollar index fell below the psychologically key 80.0 level, while the euro rose to within sight of its record high above $1.3850 struck two weeks ago.




The deepening malaise in global credit markets sent U.S. stocks tumbling on Friday, a move encouraged by a weaker-than-expected U.S. July employment report.


Read more at Reuters.com Hot Stocks News

Russia's Putin Favors Ruble Traders to Slow Inflation (Update1)

(Bloomberg) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin's plan
to keep inflation from accelerating depends on favoring foreign-
exchange traders over the country's oil and gas companies.

Putin will probably allow the central bank to double the
ruble's pace of appreciation this year because he has few options
outside the foreign exchange market to rein in consumer prices,
according to strategists at Bank of America Corp. and UBS AG.
Russia's 8.5 percent inflation rate is three times faster than
any other Group of Eight country.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

European Gasoil, Jet Fuel Decline as Oil Refineries Raise Fuel Production

(Bloomberg) -- European gasoil for immediate
delivery fell as additional crude output by OPEC and greater
production from refineries in Europe and the U.S. boosted
supplies. Diesel and jet fuel also declined.

Exxon Mobil Corp.'s Fawley refinery on the south coast of
England completed its startup on Aug. 3 after a fire halted
production in July. Crude-oil production in July by members of
the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries rose 445,000
barrels a day, according to a Bloomberg News survey.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

Orbotech posts quarterly net loss as sales fall

(Reuters) - Orbotech was expected to earn 18 cents a share, according
to Reuters Estimates.




Revenue fell to $88.6 million from $104.9 million.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Sappi says Q3 earnings per share 23 U.S. cents

(Reuters) - JOHANNESBURG, Aug 6 - The world's top maker of fine paper, Sappi Ltd , on Monday said its third quarter earnings per share was 23 U.S. cents compared to a loss in the same period a year ago.



Sappi said group sales for the quarter increased by 7 percent to $1.3 billion, with operating profit at $87 million compared to a loss of $34 million a year ago.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

FACTBOX: Expected timetable in battle for ABN AMRO

(Reuters) - Britain's Barclays on Monday launched a rival offer for ABN. Its mostly share offer is currently worth about 64 billion euros.




Here is an expected timetable of events, based on information from the companies:


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Germany's DAX Index Falls, Paced by Deutshe Bank, DaimlerChrysler Shares

(Bloomberg) -- German stocks dropped for a second
day, led by Deutsche Bank AG after Merrill Lynch & Co. cut its
price estimate on shares of the country's biggest bank.

Allianz SE and Hypo Real Estate Holding AG paced losses by
financial shares. DaimlerChrysler AG, the world's fifth-largest
carmaker, also declined.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

French Stocks Decline; Axa and Credit Agricole Retreat as Natixis Jumps

(Bloomberg) -- French stocks declined for a
third day in four. Financial companies including Axa SA and
Credit Agricole SA led the retreat.

The benchmark CAC 40 Index dropped 49.23, or 0.9
percent, to 5548.66 as of 10:05 a.m. in Paris, leaving the
measure little changed so far this year. The SBF 120 Index
fell 0.8 percent to 4051.79.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European shares fall amid credit market worries

(Reuters) - European shares fell in early trade on Monday, taking their cue from Friday's decline on Wall Street triggered by investment bank Bear Stearns saying credit markets were in their worst shape in two decades.

"We are seeing a flight to safe havens, to very short and very liquid assets, mainly cash," said Heinz-Gerd Sonnenschein, equity strategist at Postbank in Germany.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Australia, New Zealand Dollars Decline as Carry Trades Cut on Stock Slide

(Bloomberg) -- The Australian and New Zealand
dollars fell a second day against the yen as global stocks slid
on concern U.S. mortgage losses will worsen, deterring investors
from buying higher-yielding assets funded by loans in Japan.

New Zealand's dollar has weakened 7.5 percent versus the
yen in the past month, the most among the 16 most-active
currencies, and Australia's retreated 5 percent, as traders
pared positions in so-called carry trades. Asian shares declined
today after The Standard & Poor's 500 Index fell the most in
five months in New York on Aug. 3.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Dry-Bulk Shipping Rates May Extend Gains Until 2009, Credit Suisse Says

(Bloomberg) -- Freight rates to transport coal, iron
ore and other dry goods in bulk may extend gains for at least
another two years, boosted by global demand and port congestion,
Credit Suisse said in a report.

``We think this upcycle will run harder and longer than
previous ones, helped by strong demand and supply constraints at
the shipyards, until 2009,'' Credit Suisse said in an Aug. 3
report. ``At the earliest, oversupply could happen in the second
half of 2009.''


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News