miercuri, 8 iunie 2011

UPDATE 1-Danisco top managers resign after DuPont takeover

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* CEO, CFO to step down June 17

* Company to be delisted from Copenhagen exchange

(Adds details, background, share price)

COPENHAGEN, June 8 (Reuters) - Danisco (DCO.CO) said on Wednesday its top management would resign later this month following U.S. chemicals group DuPont's (DD.N) takeover of the group for $6.4 billion in May. [ID:nLDE74F0AA]

The Danish food ingredients and enzymes maker said Chief Executive Tom Knutzen and Chief Financial Officer Soren Bjerre-Nielsen would resign from Danisco with effect from June 17.

The company is expected to be delisted from the Copenhagen stock exchange in June after a final general meeting of Danisco shareholders. DuPont has yet to decide whether to keep the Danisco brand name.

Danisco shares were down 0.1 percent at 0734 GMT compared with a 1.0 percent fall in the Copenhagen bourse's blue-chip index .OMXC20.

(Reporting by Mette Fraende; Editing by Erica Billingham)


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* CEO, CFO to step down June 17

* Company to be delisted from Copenhagen exchange

(Adds details, background, share price)

COPENHAGEN, June 8 (Reuters) - Danisco (DCO.CO) said on Wednesday its top management would resign later this month following U.S. chemicals group DuPont's (DD.N) takeover of the group for $6.4 billion in May. [ID:nLDE74F0AA]

The Danish food ingredients and enzymes maker said Chief Executive Tom Knutzen and Chief Financial Officer Soren Bjerre-Nielsen would resign from Danisco with effect from June 17.

The company is expected to be delisted from the Copenhagen stock exchange in June after a final general meeting of Danisco shareholders. DuPont has yet to decide whether to keep the Danisco brand name.

Danisco shares were down 0.1 percent at 0734 GMT compared with a 1.0 percent fall in the Copenhagen bourse's blue-chip index .OMXC20.

(Reporting by Mette Fraende; Editing by Erica Billingham)


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* CEO, CFO to step down June 17

* Company to be delisted from Copenhagen exchange

(Adds details, background, share price)

COPENHAGEN, June 8 (Reuters) - Danisco (DCO.CO) said on Wednesday its top management would resign later this month following U.S. chemicals group DuPont's (DD.N) takeover of the group for $6.4 billion in May. [ID:nLDE74F0AA]

The Danish food ingredients and enzymes maker said Chief Executive Tom Knutzen and Chief Financial Officer Soren Bjerre-Nielsen would resign from Danisco with effect from June 17.

The company is expected to be delisted from the Copenhagen stock exchange in June after a final general meeting of Danisco shareholders. DuPont has yet to decide whether to keep the Danisco brand name.

Danisco shares were down 0.1 percent at 0734 GMT compared with a 1.0 percent fall in the Copenhagen bourse's blue-chip index .OMXC20.

(Reporting by Mette Fraende; Editing by Erica Billingham)


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GE, Siemens, Carlyle bid for S.Africa firm -source

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JOHANNESBURG, June 8 | Wed Jun 8, 2011 3:54am EDT

JOHANNESBURG, June 8 (Reuters) - General Electric (GE.N), Siemens AG (SIEGn.DE) and private equity group Carlyle Group [CYL.UL] are among the bidders for South African equipment repair firm Savcio Holdings in a potential $500 million deal, a person familiar with the matter said.

Swiss engineering firm ABB Ltd (ABBN.VX) had also been involved in bidding for the Johannesburg-based company, but its current interest is unclear, said the person, who declined to be identified because the information is not yet public.

Private equity firms Actis and Ethos Private Equity are looking to sell their combined controlling stake in Savcio, as are its minority shareholders, the person said.

There has already been one round of bidding, with the second round due by early July, the person said.

Savcio has an enterprise value, or combined debt and equity, of $400 million to $500 million, the person said, making the deal a substantial one for South Africa's growing private equity market.

ABB, Actis, Carlyle, Ethos, GE and Siemens all declined to comment.

It was not immediately clear whether any of the bidders could face competition-related hurdles.

South African regulators have been tough on big cross-border deals in the past, and unions are wary of multi-nationals, particularly U.S. companies.

South Africa last month approved Wal-Mart's (WMT.N) $2.4 billion bid for control of retailer Massmart (MSMJ.J) with conditions, although the deal went through an arduous process, with three government departments and influential unions lining up against Wal-Mart. (Reporting by David Dolan; editing by Ed Cropley)


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JOHANNESBURG, June 8 | Wed Jun 8, 2011 3:54am EDT

JOHANNESBURG, June 8 (Reuters) - General Electric (GE.N), Siemens AG (SIEGn.DE) and private equity group Carlyle Group [CYL.UL] are among the bidders for South African equipment repair firm Savcio Holdings in a potential $500 million deal, a person familiar with the matter said.

Swiss engineering firm ABB Ltd (ABBN.VX) had also been involved in bidding for the Johannesburg-based company, but its current interest is unclear, said the person, who declined to be identified because the information is not yet public.

Private equity firms Actis and Ethos Private Equity are looking to sell their combined controlling stake in Savcio, as are its minority shareholders, the person said.

There has already been one round of bidding, with the second round due by early July, the person said.

Savcio has an enterprise value, or combined debt and equity, of $400 million to $500 million, the person said, making the deal a substantial one for South Africa's growing private equity market.

ABB, Actis, Carlyle, Ethos, GE and Siemens all declined to comment.

It was not immediately clear whether any of the bidders could face competition-related hurdles.

South African regulators have been tough on big cross-border deals in the past, and unions are wary of multi-nationals, particularly U.S. companies.

South Africa last month approved Wal-Mart's (WMT.N) $2.4 billion bid for control of retailer Massmart (MSMJ.J) with conditions, although the deal went through an arduous process, with three government departments and influential unions lining up against Wal-Mart. (Reporting by David Dolan; editing by Ed Cropley)


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JOHANNESBURG, June 8 | Wed Jun 8, 2011 3:54am EDT

JOHANNESBURG, June 8 (Reuters) - General Electric (GE.N), Siemens AG (SIEGn.DE) and private equity group Carlyle Group [CYL.UL] are among the bidders for South African equipment repair firm Savcio Holdings in a potential $500 million deal, a person familiar with the matter said.

Swiss engineering firm ABB Ltd (ABBN.VX) had also been involved in bidding for the Johannesburg-based company, but its current interest is unclear, said the person, who declined to be identified because the information is not yet public.

Private equity firms Actis and Ethos Private Equity are looking to sell their combined controlling stake in Savcio, as are its minority shareholders, the person said.

There has already been one round of bidding, with the second round due by early July, the person said.

Savcio has an enterprise value, or combined debt and equity, of $400 million to $500 million, the person said, making the deal a substantial one for South Africa's growing private equity market.

ABB, Actis, Carlyle, Ethos, GE and Siemens all declined to comment.

It was not immediately clear whether any of the bidders could face competition-related hurdles.

South African regulators have been tough on big cross-border deals in the past, and unions are wary of multi-nationals, particularly U.S. companies.

South Africa last month approved Wal-Mart's (WMT.N) $2.4 billion bid for control of retailer Massmart (MSMJ.J) with conditions, although the deal went through an arduous process, with three government departments and influential unions lining up against Wal-Mart. (Reporting by David Dolan; editing by Ed Cropley)


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Citigroup sells private equity assets to Axa unit

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PARIS, June 8 | Wed Jun 8, 2011 4:03am EDT

The portfolio comprises 207 stakes in various buyout funds as well as some direct stakes in companies, Axa said, adding that Citi -- which has been looking to focus on its core businesses -- was financing the purchase. (Reporting by Christian Plumb; Editing by James Regan)


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PARIS, June 8 | Wed Jun 8, 2011 4:03am EDT

The portfolio comprises 207 stakes in various buyout funds as well as some direct stakes in companies, Axa said, adding that Citi -- which has been looking to focus on its core businesses -- was financing the purchase. (Reporting by Christian Plumb; Editing by James Regan)


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PARIS, June 8 | Wed Jun 8, 2011 4:03am EDT

The portfolio comprises 207 stakes in various buyout funds as well as some direct stakes in companies, Axa said, adding that Citi -- which has been looking to focus on its core businesses -- was financing the purchase. (Reporting by Christian Plumb; Editing by James Regan)


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RPT-SPECIAL REPORT-In Thailand's 'red shirt villages', defiance ahead of elections

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half were released, but Kittipong was held without bail. His case went to court in May. He shares a packed cell with seven other prisoners, some accused of murder and drug trafficking.

Kongchai blames himself. He pulled Kittipong out of school when he was 15 to join an early wave of pro-Thaksin rallies. In December, local red-shirt leaders brought supplies to his village, including blankets and food. A nearby village had branded itself a 'Red Shirt Village' with a red sign.

He liked the idea. The movement was in disarray. This was a way to change that, he said.

"In the beginning, it was 20-30 people talking half-jokingly about this idea over lunch. We weren't going to do anything organised. But then the idea caught on."

The authorities are watching closely. "Officers will drive by, peek in, take pictures, ask our neighbours whether I have gone to Bangkok. They follow me," Kongchai said.

Since April, they've had new visitors: soldiers from a military unit responsible for national security issues that went after Communists in the 1970s. The soldiers, who are well known in northeast, have offered to renovate the poorest house in Kongchai village -- a hut with a thatched roof.     "They always ask for something in exchange," said his wife, Kamsan.

On some visits, the soldiers bring framed portraits of the king as gifts to hang in homes. The villagers find it hard to refuse. In Kongchai's home, the king's picture hangs on a wall next to a poster of Buddhist monks. But a far bigger, life-sized picture of Thaksin is draped along another wall.

Soldiers have asked leaders in the red villages to take down the signs and red flags but the villages have not complied, said an official with Thailand's Internal Security Operations Command in Udon Thani. The signs breached laws forbidding placement of public billboards without official permission, but the villages would not be forced to take them down, he said.

VIEW OF THE MONARCHY

As Thailand's polarisation deepens, views of the monarchy have changed, part of a broader cultural shift in the largely Buddhist country where the king has been revered as almost divine for three generations.

Most still express steadfast loyalty to the king, the world's longest-serving monarch, but his throne is seen as entwined with the political forces that removed Thaksin, especially ultra-nationalists who wear the king's colour of yellow at protests.

Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn has yet to command the same popular support as his father, raising questions over whether royal succession will go smoothly.

Long-simmering business, political and military rivalries are rising to the surface, forcing Thailand to choose sides between supporters of the Bangkok establishment or those seeking to upend the status quo.

For others such as Kongchai, being "red" is a much more simple equation, boiling down to sheer double standards and economics.

His son is one of at least 417 people detained in connection with violating an emergency decree during last year's red-shirt protests, according to Human Rights Watch. But none of the thousands of yellow-shirted supporters of the establishment -- who occupied two airports in Bangkok in 2008 for eight days in a campaign to bring down a Thaksin-proxy government -- have been arrested, and Thailand's army did nothing to prevent the airport siege.

"I am still a red shirt because there is still no justice for my son," he said. (Editing by Bill Tarrant)


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half were released, but Kittipong was held without bail. His case went to court in May. He shares a packed cell with seven other prisoners, some accused of murder and drug trafficking.

Kongchai blames himself. He pulled Kittipong out of school when he was 15 to join an early wave of pro-Thaksin rallies. In December, local red-shirt leaders brought supplies to his village, including blankets and food. A nearby village had branded itself a 'Red Shirt Village' with a red sign.

He liked the idea. The movement was in disarray. This was a way to change that, he said.

"In the beginning, it was 20-30 people talking half-jokingly about this idea over lunch. We weren't going to do anything organised. But then the idea caught on."

The authorities are watching closely. "Officers will drive by, peek in, take pictures, ask our neighbours whether I have gone to Bangkok. They follow me," Kongchai said.

Since April, they've had new visitors: soldiers from a military unit responsible for national security issues that went after Communists in the 1970s. The soldiers, who are well known in northeast, have offered to renovate the poorest house in Kongchai village -- a hut with a thatched roof.     "They always ask for something in exchange," said his wife, Kamsan.

On some visits, the soldiers bring framed portraits of the king as gifts to hang in homes. The villagers find it hard to refuse. In Kongchai's home, the king's picture hangs on a wall next to a poster of Buddhist monks. But a far bigger, life-sized picture of Thaksin is draped along another wall.

Soldiers have asked leaders in the red villages to take down the signs and red flags but the villages have not complied, said an official with Thailand's Internal Security Operations Command in Udon Thani. The signs breached laws forbidding placement of public billboards without official permission, but the villages would not be forced to take them down, he said.

VIEW OF THE MONARCHY

As Thailand's polarisation deepens, views of the monarchy have changed, part of a broader cultural shift in the largely Buddhist country where the king has been revered as almost divine for three generations.

Most still express steadfast loyalty to the king, the world's longest-serving monarch, but his throne is seen as entwined with the political forces that removed Thaksin, especially ultra-nationalists who wear the king's colour of yellow at protests.

Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn has yet to command the same popular support as his father, raising questions over whether royal succession will go smoothly.

Long-simmering business, political and military rivalries are rising to the surface, forcing Thailand to choose sides between supporters of the Bangkok establishment or those seeking to upend the status quo.

For others such as Kongchai, being "red" is a much more simple equation, boiling down to sheer double standards and economics.

His son is one of at least 417 people detained in connection with violating an emergency decree during last year's red-shirt protests, according to Human Rights Watch. But none of the thousands of yellow-shirted supporters of the establishment -- who occupied two airports in Bangkok in 2008 for eight days in a campaign to bring down a Thaksin-proxy government -- have been arrested, and Thailand's army did nothing to prevent the airport siege.

"I am still a red shirt because there is still no justice for my son," he said. (Editing by Bill Tarrant)


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half were released, but Kittipong was held without bail. His case went to court in May. He shares a packed cell with seven other prisoners, some accused of murder and drug trafficking.

Kongchai blames himself. He pulled Kittipong out of school when he was 15 to join an early wave of pro-Thaksin rallies. In December, local red-shirt leaders brought supplies to his village, including blankets and food. A nearby village had branded itself a 'Red Shirt Village' with a red sign.

He liked the idea. The movement was in disarray. This was a way to change that, he said.

"In the beginning, it was 20-30 people talking half-jokingly about this idea over lunch. We weren't going to do anything organised. But then the idea caught on."

The authorities are watching closely. "Officers will drive by, peek in, take pictures, ask our neighbours whether I have gone to Bangkok. They follow me," Kongchai said.

Since April, they've had new visitors: soldiers from a military unit responsible for national security issues that went after Communists in the 1970s. The soldiers, who are well known in northeast, have offered to renovate the poorest house in Kongchai village -- a hut with a thatched roof.     "They always ask for something in exchange," said his wife, Kamsan.

On some visits, the soldiers bring framed portraits of the king as gifts to hang in homes. The villagers find it hard to refuse. In Kongchai's home, the king's picture hangs on a wall next to a poster of Buddhist monks. But a far bigger, life-sized picture of Thaksin is draped along another wall.

Soldiers have asked leaders in the red villages to take down the signs and red flags but the villages have not complied, said an official with Thailand's Internal Security Operations Command in Udon Thani. The signs breached laws forbidding placement of public billboards without official permission, but the villages would not be forced to take them down, he said.

VIEW OF THE MONARCHY

As Thailand's polarisation deepens, views of the monarchy have changed, part of a broader cultural shift in the largely Buddhist country where the king has been revered as almost divine for three generations.

Most still express steadfast loyalty to the king, the world's longest-serving monarch, but his throne is seen as entwined with the political forces that removed Thaksin, especially ultra-nationalists who wear the king's colour of yellow at protests.

Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn has yet to command the same popular support as his father, raising questions over whether royal succession will go smoothly.

Long-simmering business, political and military rivalries are rising to the surface, forcing Thailand to choose sides between supporters of the Bangkok establishment or those seeking to upend the status quo.

For others such as Kongchai, being "red" is a much more simple equation, boiling down to sheer double standards and economics.

His son is one of at least 417 people detained in connection with violating an emergency decree during last year's red-shirt protests, according to Human Rights Watch. But none of the thousands of yellow-shirted supporters of the establishment -- who occupied two airports in Bangkok in 2008 for eight days in a campaign to bring down a Thaksin-proxy government -- have been arrested, and Thailand's army did nothing to prevent the airport siege.

"I am still a red shirt because there is still no justice for my son," he said. (Editing by Bill Tarrant)


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vineri, 3 iunie 2011

UPDATE 1-Smithfield drops Campofrio deal due to weak economy

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* Smithfield drops 9.50 euros/shr offer for Campofrio

* Cites poor economy, share price decline

MADRID, June 3 (Reuters) - Spanish meat producer Campofrio (CPF.MC) said on Friday that U.S. pork producer Smithfield Foods (SFD.N) had dropped its 500 million euro ($721.4 million) offer to increase its stake in the Spanish company because of adverse economic conditions.

Smithfield, along with Chairman Pedro Ballve, were to offer 9.50 euros per share to raise the US firm's stake in Campofrio to about 88 percent and delist the company, leaving the remaining shares in the hands of the family of the chairman. [ID:nN06228813]

"The decision .. to end talks has been influenced, amongst other factors, by adverse economic conditions in Europe, with few signs of improvement and by the recent fall in Smithfield shares making it difficult to finance the deal in a non-dilutive way," a statement said.

However, the US group will maintain its 37 percent stake and continue to support the Spanish company's growth, as well as synergies.

Shares in Campofrio, suspended prior to the statement, will reopen from 0800 GMT, the stock market commission said. (Reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary. Editing by Jane Merriman)


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* Smithfield drops 9.50 euros/shr offer for Campofrio

* Cites poor economy, share price decline

MADRID, June 3 (Reuters) - Spanish meat producer Campofrio (CPF.MC) said on Friday that U.S. pork producer Smithfield Foods (SFD.N) had dropped its 500 million euro ($721.4 million) offer to increase its stake in the Spanish company because of adverse economic conditions.

Smithfield, along with Chairman Pedro Ballve, were to offer 9.50 euros per share to raise the US firm's stake in Campofrio to about 88 percent and delist the company, leaving the remaining shares in the hands of the family of the chairman. [ID:nN06228813]

"The decision .. to end talks has been influenced, amongst other factors, by adverse economic conditions in Europe, with few signs of improvement and by the recent fall in Smithfield shares making it difficult to finance the deal in a non-dilutive way," a statement said.

However, the US group will maintain its 37 percent stake and continue to support the Spanish company's growth, as well as synergies.

Shares in Campofrio, suspended prior to the statement, will reopen from 0800 GMT, the stock market commission said. (Reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary. Editing by Jane Merriman)


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* Smithfield drops 9.50 euros/shr offer for Campofrio

* Cites poor economy, share price decline

MADRID, June 3 (Reuters) - Spanish meat producer Campofrio (CPF.MC) said on Friday that U.S. pork producer Smithfield Foods (SFD.N) had dropped its 500 million euro ($721.4 million) offer to increase its stake in the Spanish company because of adverse economic conditions.

Smithfield, along with Chairman Pedro Ballve, were to offer 9.50 euros per share to raise the US firm's stake in Campofrio to about 88 percent and delist the company, leaving the remaining shares in the hands of the family of the chairman. [ID:nN06228813]

"The decision .. to end talks has been influenced, amongst other factors, by adverse economic conditions in Europe, with few signs of improvement and by the recent fall in Smithfield shares making it difficult to finance the deal in a non-dilutive way," a statement said.

However, the US group will maintain its 37 percent stake and continue to support the Spanish company's growth, as well as synergies.

Shares in Campofrio, suspended prior to the statement, will reopen from 0800 GMT, the stock market commission said. (Reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary. Editing by Jane Merriman)


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Moody's cuts Greek bank ratings after sovereign move

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ATHENS, June 3 | Fri Jun 3, 2011 3:24am EDT

ATHENS, June 3 (Reuters) - Ratings agency Moody's Investors Service cut the ratings of eight Greek banks on Friday following a downgrade of the country's sovereign rating further into junk territory earlier in the week.

Moody's cut Greece's sovereign rating by three notches to Caa1 from B1 on Wednesday.

It said the rationale behind Friday's action was the rising likelihood of a sovereign debt restructuring.

"In the adverse scenario of a sovereign debt restructuring, Greek banks would be directly impacted via a reduction in the value of their Greek government bond portfolios, which would significantly weaken their capitalisation metrics," it said.

The banks affected are National Bank of Greece (NBGr.AT), cut to B3 from Ba3, plus EFG Eurobank (EFGr.AT), Alpha Bank (ACBr.AT) and Piraeus Bank (BOPr.AT), which were all downgraded to B3 from Ba3.

Moody's also cut the rating of ATEbank (AGBr.AT) and Attica Bank (BOAr.AT) to B3 from B1, with Emporiki (CBGr.AT) and Geniki (GHBr.AT) both cut to B1 from Baa3.

The agency said all of the banks' deposit and debt ratings have a negative outlook, in line with the negative outlook on the sovereign. (Reporting by George Georgiopoulos; editing by David Stamp and Catherine Evans)


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ATHENS, June 3 | Fri Jun 3, 2011 3:24am EDT

ATHENS, June 3 (Reuters) - Ratings agency Moody's Investors Service cut the ratings of eight Greek banks on Friday following a downgrade of the country's sovereign rating further into junk territory earlier in the week.

Moody's cut Greece's sovereign rating by three notches to Caa1 from B1 on Wednesday.

It said the rationale behind Friday's action was the rising likelihood of a sovereign debt restructuring.

"In the adverse scenario of a sovereign debt restructuring, Greek banks would be directly impacted via a reduction in the value of their Greek government bond portfolios, which would significantly weaken their capitalisation metrics," it said.

The banks affected are National Bank of Greece (NBGr.AT), cut to B3 from Ba3, plus EFG Eurobank (EFGr.AT), Alpha Bank (ACBr.AT) and Piraeus Bank (BOPr.AT), which were all downgraded to B3 from Ba3.

Moody's also cut the rating of ATEbank (AGBr.AT) and Attica Bank (BOAr.AT) to B3 from B1, with Emporiki (CBGr.AT) and Geniki (GHBr.AT) both cut to B1 from Baa3.

The agency said all of the banks' deposit and debt ratings have a negative outlook, in line with the negative outlook on the sovereign. (Reporting by George Georgiopoulos; editing by David Stamp and Catherine Evans)


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ATHENS, June 3 | Fri Jun 3, 2011 3:24am EDT

ATHENS, June 3 (Reuters) - Ratings agency Moody's Investors Service cut the ratings of eight Greek banks on Friday following a downgrade of the country's sovereign rating further into junk territory earlier in the week.

Moody's cut Greece's sovereign rating by three notches to Caa1 from B1 on Wednesday.

It said the rationale behind Friday's action was the rising likelihood of a sovereign debt restructuring.

"In the adverse scenario of a sovereign debt restructuring, Greek banks would be directly impacted via a reduction in the value of their Greek government bond portfolios, which would significantly weaken their capitalisation metrics," it said.

The banks affected are National Bank of Greece (NBGr.AT), cut to B3 from Ba3, plus EFG Eurobank (EFGr.AT), Alpha Bank (ACBr.AT) and Piraeus Bank (BOPr.AT), which were all downgraded to B3 from Ba3.

Moody's also cut the rating of ATEbank (AGBr.AT) and Attica Bank (BOAr.AT) to B3 from B1, with Emporiki (CBGr.AT) and Geniki (GHBr.AT) both cut to B1 from Baa3.

The agency said all of the banks' deposit and debt ratings have a negative outlook, in line with the negative outlook on the sovereign. (Reporting by George Georgiopoulos; editing by David Stamp and Catherine Evans)


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UPDATE 5-Hackers attack another Sony network, post data

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(Adds background)

* Attack targeted Sony Pictures Entertainment

* Customer data published on Internet

* Sony says checking hacker's claim; shares flat

* Lockheed Martin, Google also victims of cyber attacks

* Cyber security rising up agenda of global policymakers

By Jim Finkle and Liana B. Baker

BOSTON/NEW YORK, June 2 (Reuters) - Hackers broke into Sony Corp's computer networks and accessed the information of more than 1 million customers to show the vulnerability of the electronic giant's systems, the latest of several security breaches undermining confidence in the company.

LulzSec, a group that claims attacks on U.S. PBS television and Fox.com, said it broke into servers that run Sony Pictures Entertainment websites. It published the names, birth dates, addresses, emails, phone numbers and passwords of thousands of people who had entered contests promoted by Sony.

"From a single injection, we accessed EVERYTHING," the hacking group said in a statement. "Why do you put such faith in a company that allows itself to become open to these simple attacks?"

The security breach is the latest cyber attack against high-profile firms, including defense contractor Lockheed Martin and Google Inc .

LulzSec's claims came as Sony executives were trying to reassure U.S. lawmakers at a hearing on data security in Washington about their efforts to safeguard the company's computer networks, which suffered the biggest security breach in history in April.

Sony has been under fire since hackers accessed personal information on 77 million PlayStation Network and Qriocity accounts, 90 percent of which are users in North America or Europe.

Sony said at the time credit card information may have been stolen, sparking lawsuits and casting a shadow over its plans to combine content and hardware products via online services. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the April attack.

It later revealed hackers had stolen data from 25 million users of a separate system, its Sony Online Entertainment PC games network, in a breach discovered on May 2.

Sony said it was investigating the breach claimed by LulzSec and declined to elaborate. Sony shares in Tokyo fell 0.6 percent on Friday, in line with the broader market.

The latest attack, unlike that on the PlayStation Network, was not on a revenue-generating Website and was likely to have no impact on earnings, analysts said.

Reuters confirmed the authenticity of the data on several contestants that LulzSec said it had published.

CYBER SECURITY

Cyber security is quickly rising up the agenda for global policymakers.

The Australian government said on Friday it will develop a cyber defence strategy and the United States said in a report in May that hostile acts in cyberspace would be treated just like any other threat to the country. [ID:nL3E7H300H][ID:nN3135624]

The hacking attack on Lockheed may have compromised the safety of SecureID tokens made by EMC Corp , while that on Google targeted, among others, senior U.S. government officials' data. [ID:nN02261322][ID:nN02290419]

"These allegations are very serious," U.S. Secretary of States Hillary Clinton said of the Google attack, which the Internet giant said appeared to originate in China.

In the latest attack on Sony, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission could choose to review the circumstances leading up to the breach if Sony Pictures Entertainment failed to use proper procedures for protecting the data of its customers.

John Bumgarner, chief technology officer for the U.S. Cyber Consequences Unit, a nonprofit group that monitors Web threats, said he was not surprised that Sony's systems had again been breached.

"The system was unsecure," said Bumgarner, who last month warned of a string of security vulnerabilities across Sony's networks that he had identified.

He said he found vulnerabilities in the Sony Pictures Entertainment network as recently as last weekend.

The first hacking attacks in April prompted Sony to shut down its PlayStation Network and other services for close to a month.

The PlayStation games network and Qriocity, a video and music service, are back online except for some operations in Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong.

Representatives criticized Sony in the Congressional hearing for waiting several days to notify customers of the breach.

LulzSec has claimed responsibility for several hacks over the past month. It said it defaced the U.S. PBS television network's websites, and posted data stolen from its servers on Monday to protest a "Front Line" documentary about WikiLeaks.

It has also broken into a Fox.com website and published data about contestants for the upcoming Fox TV talent show, "X Factor."

LulzSec also said on Thursday it had hacked into Sony BMG Music Entertainment Netherlands and Belgium. It previously disclosed an attack on Sony Music Japan. (Additional reporting by Diane Bartz in Washington, Mayumi Negishi in Tokyo; Editing by Steve Orlofsky, Richard Chang and Muralikumar Anantharaman)


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(Adds background)

* Attack targeted Sony Pictures Entertainment

* Customer data published on Internet

* Sony says checking hacker's claim; shares flat

* Lockheed Martin, Google also victims of cyber attacks

* Cyber security rising up agenda of global policymakers

By Jim Finkle and Liana B. Baker

BOSTON/NEW YORK, June 2 (Reuters) - Hackers broke into Sony Corp's computer networks and accessed the information of more than 1 million customers to show the vulnerability of the electronic giant's systems, the latest of several security breaches undermining confidence in the company.

LulzSec, a group that claims attacks on U.S. PBS television and Fox.com, said it broke into servers that run Sony Pictures Entertainment websites. It published the names, birth dates, addresses, emails, phone numbers and passwords of thousands of people who had entered contests promoted by Sony.

"From a single injection, we accessed EVERYTHING," the hacking group said in a statement. "Why do you put such faith in a company that allows itself to become open to these simple attacks?"

The security breach is the latest cyber attack against high-profile firms, including defense contractor Lockheed Martin and Google Inc .

LulzSec's claims came as Sony executives were trying to reassure U.S. lawmakers at a hearing on data security in Washington about their efforts to safeguard the company's computer networks, which suffered the biggest security breach in history in April.

Sony has been under fire since hackers accessed personal information on 77 million PlayStation Network and Qriocity accounts, 90 percent of which are users in North America or Europe.

Sony said at the time credit card information may have been stolen, sparking lawsuits and casting a shadow over its plans to combine content and hardware products via online services. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the April attack.

It later revealed hackers had stolen data from 25 million users of a separate system, its Sony Online Entertainment PC games network, in a breach discovered on May 2.

Sony said it was investigating the breach claimed by LulzSec and declined to elaborate. Sony shares in Tokyo fell 0.6 percent on Friday, in line with the broader market.

The latest attack, unlike that on the PlayStation Network, was not on a revenue-generating Website and was likely to have no impact on earnings, analysts said.

Reuters confirmed the authenticity of the data on several contestants that LulzSec said it had published.

CYBER SECURITY

Cyber security is quickly rising up the agenda for global policymakers.

The Australian government said on Friday it will develop a cyber defence strategy and the United States said in a report in May that hostile acts in cyberspace would be treated just like any other threat to the country. [ID:nL3E7H300H][ID:nN3135624]

The hacking attack on Lockheed may have compromised the safety of SecureID tokens made by EMC Corp , while that on Google targeted, among others, senior U.S. government officials' data. [ID:nN02261322][ID:nN02290419]

"These allegations are very serious," U.S. Secretary of States Hillary Clinton said of the Google attack, which the Internet giant said appeared to originate in China.

In the latest attack on Sony, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission could choose to review the circumstances leading up to the breach if Sony Pictures Entertainment failed to use proper procedures for protecting the data of its customers.

John Bumgarner, chief technology officer for the U.S. Cyber Consequences Unit, a nonprofit group that monitors Web threats, said he was not surprised that Sony's systems had again been breached.

"The system was unsecure," said Bumgarner, who last month warned of a string of security vulnerabilities across Sony's networks that he had identified.

He said he found vulnerabilities in the Sony Pictures Entertainment network as recently as last weekend.

The first hacking attacks in April prompted Sony to shut down its PlayStation Network and other services for close to a month.

The PlayStation games network and Qriocity, a video and music service, are back online except for some operations in Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong.

Representatives criticized Sony in the Congressional hearing for waiting several days to notify customers of the breach.

LulzSec has claimed responsibility for several hacks over the past month. It said it defaced the U.S. PBS television network's websites, and posted data stolen from its servers on Monday to protest a "Front Line" documentary about WikiLeaks.

It has also broken into a Fox.com website and published data about contestants for the upcoming Fox TV talent show, "X Factor."

LulzSec also said on Thursday it had hacked into Sony BMG Music Entertainment Netherlands and Belgium. It previously disclosed an attack on Sony Music Japan. (Additional reporting by Diane Bartz in Washington, Mayumi Negishi in Tokyo; Editing by Steve Orlofsky, Richard Chang and Muralikumar Anantharaman)


Baloane


Cost aparat dentar


(Adds background)

* Attack targeted Sony Pictures Entertainment

* Customer data published on Internet

* Sony says checking hacker's claim; shares flat

* Lockheed Martin, Google also victims of cyber attacks

* Cyber security rising up agenda of global policymakers

By Jim Finkle and Liana B. Baker

BOSTON/NEW YORK, June 2 (Reuters) - Hackers broke into Sony Corp's computer networks and accessed the information of more than 1 million customers to show the vulnerability of the electronic giant's systems, the latest of several security breaches undermining confidence in the company.

LulzSec, a group that claims attacks on U.S. PBS television and Fox.com, said it broke into servers that run Sony Pictures Entertainment websites. It published the names, birth dates, addresses, emails, phone numbers and passwords of thousands of people who had entered contests promoted by Sony.

"From a single injection, we accessed EVERYTHING," the hacking group said in a statement. "Why do you put such faith in a company that allows itself to become open to these simple attacks?"

The security breach is the latest cyber attack against high-profile firms, including defense contractor Lockheed Martin and Google Inc .

LulzSec's claims came as Sony executives were trying to reassure U.S. lawmakers at a hearing on data security in Washington about their efforts to safeguard the company's computer networks, which suffered the biggest security breach in history in April.

Sony has been under fire since hackers accessed personal information on 77 million PlayStation Network and Qriocity accounts, 90 percent of which are users in North America or Europe.

Sony said at the time credit card information may have been stolen, sparking lawsuits and casting a shadow over its plans to combine content and hardware products via online services. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the April attack.

It later revealed hackers had stolen data from 25 million users of a separate system, its Sony Online Entertainment PC games network, in a breach discovered on May 2.

Sony said it was investigating the breach claimed by LulzSec and declined to elaborate. Sony shares in Tokyo fell 0.6 percent on Friday, in line with the broader market.

The latest attack, unlike that on the PlayStation Network, was not on a revenue-generating Website and was likely to have no impact on earnings, analysts said.

Reuters confirmed the authenticity of the data on several contestants that LulzSec said it had published.

CYBER SECURITY

Cyber security is quickly rising up the agenda for global policymakers.

The Australian government said on Friday it will develop a cyber defence strategy and the United States said in a report in May that hostile acts in cyberspace would be treated just like any other threat to the country. [ID:nL3E7H300H][ID:nN3135624]

The hacking attack on Lockheed may have compromised the safety of SecureID tokens made by EMC Corp , while that on Google targeted, among others, senior U.S. government officials' data. [ID:nN02261322][ID:nN02290419]

"These allegations are very serious," U.S. Secretary of States Hillary Clinton said of the Google attack, which the Internet giant said appeared to originate in China.

In the latest attack on Sony, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission could choose to review the circumstances leading up to the breach if Sony Pictures Entertainment failed to use proper procedures for protecting the data of its customers.

John Bumgarner, chief technology officer for the U.S. Cyber Consequences Unit, a nonprofit group that monitors Web threats, said he was not surprised that Sony's systems had again been breached.

"The system was unsecure," said Bumgarner, who last month warned of a string of security vulnerabilities across Sony's networks that he had identified.

He said he found vulnerabilities in the Sony Pictures Entertainment network as recently as last weekend.

The first hacking attacks in April prompted Sony to shut down its PlayStation Network and other services for close to a month.

The PlayStation games network and Qriocity, a video and music service, are back online except for some operations in Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong.

Representatives criticized Sony in the Congressional hearing for waiting several days to notify customers of the breach.

LulzSec has claimed responsibility for several hacks over the past month. It said it defaced the U.S. PBS television network's websites, and posted data stolen from its servers on Monday to protest a "Front Line" documentary about WikiLeaks.

It has also broken into a Fox.com website and published data about contestants for the upcoming Fox TV talent show, "X Factor."

LulzSec also said on Thursday it had hacked into Sony BMG Music Entertainment Netherlands and Belgium. It previously disclosed an attack on Sony Music Japan. (Additional reporting by Diane Bartz in Washington, Mayumi Negishi in Tokyo; Editing by Steve Orlofsky, Richard Chang and Muralikumar Anantharaman)


Cost aparat dentar

European shares edge down; US labour data awaited

birou notarial


LONDON, June 3 | Fri Jun 3, 2011 3:13am EDT

LONDON, June 3 (Reuters) - European shares slipped early on Friday, extending this week's sell-off on global growth worries, and with investors cautious ahead of the monthly U.S. labour report.

At 0709 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 index of top European shares was down 0.1 percent at 1,114.81 points, after falling 1.3 percent in the previous session to its lowest close in six weeks, as the U.S. economic recovery lost momentum.

Some bourses that were closed on Thursday fell, catching up with the decline in that session. Finland-based mobile phone maker Nokia (NOK1V.HE) was among the fallers, down 4.9 percent, extending losses from earlier in the week when it made a profit warning. "The lagging indicators are now catching up with the leading indicators from eight weeks ago," said Lothar Mentel, chief investment officer at Octopus Investments, which manages $4 billion.

"I'm surprised that the markets are surprised. There are not many catalysts to move stock markets higher. But equally they are supported by earnings and valuations. We will see rangebound trading." (Reporting by Brian Gorman)


Birou Notarial Bucuresti



Baloane


LONDON, June 3 | Fri Jun 3, 2011 3:13am EDT

LONDON, June 3 (Reuters) - European shares slipped early on Friday, extending this week's sell-off on global growth worries, and with investors cautious ahead of the monthly U.S. labour report.

At 0709 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 index of top European shares was down 0.1 percent at 1,114.81 points, after falling 1.3 percent in the previous session to its lowest close in six weeks, as the U.S. economic recovery lost momentum.

Some bourses that were closed on Thursday fell, catching up with the decline in that session. Finland-based mobile phone maker Nokia (NOK1V.HE) was among the fallers, down 4.9 percent, extending losses from earlier in the week when it made a profit warning. "The lagging indicators are now catching up with the leading indicators from eight weeks ago," said Lothar Mentel, chief investment officer at Octopus Investments, which manages $4 billion.

"I'm surprised that the markets are surprised. There are not many catalysts to move stock markets higher. But equally they are supported by earnings and valuations. We will see rangebound trading." (Reporting by Brian Gorman)


Baloane


Cost aparat dentar


LONDON, June 3 | Fri Jun 3, 2011 3:13am EDT

LONDON, June 3 (Reuters) - European shares slipped early on Friday, extending this week's sell-off on global growth worries, and with investors cautious ahead of the monthly U.S. labour report.

At 0709 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 index of top European shares was down 0.1 percent at 1,114.81 points, after falling 1.3 percent in the previous session to its lowest close in six weeks, as the U.S. economic recovery lost momentum.

Some bourses that were closed on Thursday fell, catching up with the decline in that session. Finland-based mobile phone maker Nokia (NOK1V.HE) was among the fallers, down 4.9 percent, extending losses from earlier in the week when it made a profit warning. "The lagging indicators are now catching up with the leading indicators from eight weeks ago," said Lothar Mentel, chief investment officer at Octopus Investments, which manages $4 billion.

"I'm surprised that the markets are surprised. There are not many catalysts to move stock markets higher. But equally they are supported by earnings and valuations. We will see rangebound trading." (Reporting by Brian Gorman)


Cost aparat dentar

Asian hedge funds hit hard in May - Credit Suisse

birou notarial


HONG KONG, June 3 | Fri Jun 3, 2011 3:20am EDT

HONG KONG, June 3 (Reuters) - Asian hedge funds may have lost up to two-thirds of their year-to-date gains in May alone, with strategies such as macro and CTA, which bet on long-running market trends, hit hardest, said Matt Pecot, head of Credit Suisse's prime broking unit in Asia-Pacific.

"It's quite painful, especially through mid-May and then it got a little bit better, but still you are probably looking at people giving up two-thirds to a half of their year-to-date performance," said Pecot.

Prime brokers provide services such as clearing trades and lending money to hedge funds. The unit of Credit Suisse is ranked No.3 in the region by AsiaHedge with assets of $18.6 billion.

The firm aimed to grow assets under management at "1,000 basis points above the industry's growth rate", Pecot said, taking it closer to industry leaders Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Morgan Stanley , which were ranked the top-2 prime brokers in the region by AsiaHedge last month. (Reporting by Nishant Kumar; Editing by Chris Lewis)


Birou Notarial Bucuresti



Baloane


HONG KONG, June 3 | Fri Jun 3, 2011 3:20am EDT

HONG KONG, June 3 (Reuters) - Asian hedge funds may have lost up to two-thirds of their year-to-date gains in May alone, with strategies such as macro and CTA, which bet on long-running market trends, hit hardest, said Matt Pecot, head of Credit Suisse's prime broking unit in Asia-Pacific.

"It's quite painful, especially through mid-May and then it got a little bit better, but still you are probably looking at people giving up two-thirds to a half of their year-to-date performance," said Pecot.

Prime brokers provide services such as clearing trades and lending money to hedge funds. The unit of Credit Suisse is ranked No.3 in the region by AsiaHedge with assets of $18.6 billion.

The firm aimed to grow assets under management at "1,000 basis points above the industry's growth rate", Pecot said, taking it closer to industry leaders Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Morgan Stanley , which were ranked the top-2 prime brokers in the region by AsiaHedge last month. (Reporting by Nishant Kumar; Editing by Chris Lewis)


Baloane


Cost aparat dentar


HONG KONG, June 3 | Fri Jun 3, 2011 3:20am EDT

HONG KONG, June 3 (Reuters) - Asian hedge funds may have lost up to two-thirds of their year-to-date gains in May alone, with strategies such as macro and CTA, which bet on long-running market trends, hit hardest, said Matt Pecot, head of Credit Suisse's prime broking unit in Asia-Pacific.

"It's quite painful, especially through mid-May and then it got a little bit better, but still you are probably looking at people giving up two-thirds to a half of their year-to-date performance," said Pecot.

Prime brokers provide services such as clearing trades and lending money to hedge funds. The unit of Credit Suisse is ranked No.3 in the region by AsiaHedge with assets of $18.6 billion.

The firm aimed to grow assets under management at "1,000 basis points above the industry's growth rate", Pecot said, taking it closer to industry leaders Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Morgan Stanley , which were ranked the top-2 prime brokers in the region by AsiaHedge last month. (Reporting by Nishant Kumar; Editing by Chris Lewis)


Cost aparat dentar

Boeing sees higher defence sales to international customers

birou notarial


SINGAPORE | Fri Jun 3, 2011 3:56am EDT

Muilenburg told reporters that strong defence spending in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions was driving the growth as defence budgets in the United States and Europe were likely to stay flat, if not fall. (Reporting by Harry Suhartono)


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SINGAPORE | Fri Jun 3, 2011 3:56am EDT

Muilenburg told reporters that strong defence spending in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions was driving the growth as defence budgets in the United States and Europe were likely to stay flat, if not fall. (Reporting by Harry Suhartono)


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Cost aparat dentar


SINGAPORE | Fri Jun 3, 2011 3:56am EDT

Muilenburg told reporters that strong defence spending in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions was driving the growth as defence budgets in the United States and Europe were likely to stay flat, if not fall. (Reporting by Harry Suhartono)


Cost aparat dentar

joi, 2 iunie 2011

CORRECTED-Coca-Cola considers listing in Shanghai - paper

birou notarial


(Corrects fifth paragraph to show Coca-Cola opened new plants in Inner Mongolia, Henan and Guangdong last October (not three plants in Inner Mongolia)

HONG KONG, June 1 (Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co , the world's largest soft-drink company, is interested in a possible listing on the proposed international board on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, Hong Kong Economic Journal reported on Wednesday.

"We are interested in exploring the opportunity of listing our stock on the Shanghai exchange," the newspaper quoted Geoff Walsh, public affairs and communications director for Asia Pacific of Coca-Cola, as saying.

"We continue to have positive discussions with Chinese government officials as we look at this opportunity," Walsh said. The paper gave no further listing details.

Coca-Cola's officials were not immediately available for comment.

Coke has said it will commit $2 billion in investment into China and last October opened three new plants in Inner Mongolia, Henan and Guangdong.

The New York Stock Exchange is working with China to launch the country's international board that will allow foreign firms to list on the mainland, in a move seen as a crucial step in developing its capital markets. [ID:nL4E7GK04N]

HSBC , Unilever and Standard Chartered Plc have said they want to list on the international board, which was originally slated to be launched in 2010. (Reporting by Xavier Ng and Donny Kwok; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Matt Driskill)


Birou Notarial Bucuresti



Baloane


(Corrects fifth paragraph to show Coca-Cola opened new plants in Inner Mongolia, Henan and Guangdong last October (not three plants in Inner Mongolia)

HONG KONG, June 1 (Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co , the world's largest soft-drink company, is interested in a possible listing on the proposed international board on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, Hong Kong Economic Journal reported on Wednesday.

"We are interested in exploring the opportunity of listing our stock on the Shanghai exchange," the newspaper quoted Geoff Walsh, public affairs and communications director for Asia Pacific of Coca-Cola, as saying.

"We continue to have positive discussions with Chinese government officials as we look at this opportunity," Walsh said. The paper gave no further listing details.

Coca-Cola's officials were not immediately available for comment.

Coke has said it will commit $2 billion in investment into China and last October opened three new plants in Inner Mongolia, Henan and Guangdong.

The New York Stock Exchange is working with China to launch the country's international board that will allow foreign firms to list on the mainland, in a move seen as a crucial step in developing its capital markets. [ID:nL4E7GK04N]

HSBC , Unilever and Standard Chartered Plc have said they want to list on the international board, which was originally slated to be launched in 2010. (Reporting by Xavier Ng and Donny Kwok; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Matt Driskill)


Baloane


Cost aparat dentar


(Corrects fifth paragraph to show Coca-Cola opened new plants in Inner Mongolia, Henan and Guangdong last October (not three plants in Inner Mongolia)

HONG KONG, June 1 (Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co , the world's largest soft-drink company, is interested in a possible listing on the proposed international board on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, Hong Kong Economic Journal reported on Wednesday.

"We are interested in exploring the opportunity of listing our stock on the Shanghai exchange," the newspaper quoted Geoff Walsh, public affairs and communications director for Asia Pacific of Coca-Cola, as saying.

"We continue to have positive discussions with Chinese government officials as we look at this opportunity," Walsh said. The paper gave no further listing details.

Coca-Cola's officials were not immediately available for comment.

Coke has said it will commit $2 billion in investment into China and last October opened three new plants in Inner Mongolia, Henan and Guangdong.

The New York Stock Exchange is working with China to launch the country's international board that will allow foreign firms to list on the mainland, in a move seen as a crucial step in developing its capital markets. [ID:nL4E7GK04N]

HSBC , Unilever and Standard Chartered Plc have said they want to list on the international board, which was originally slated to be launched in 2010. (Reporting by Xavier Ng and Donny Kwok; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Matt Driskill)


Cost aparat dentar

CORRECTED-UPDATE 1-Coca-Cola says considers listing in Shanghai

birou notarial


(Corrects second paragraph to show Coca-Cola opened new plants in Inner Mongolia, Henan and Guangdong last October (not three plants in Inner Mongolia)

HONG KONG, June 1 (Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co , the world's largest soft-drink company, said on Wednesday it may explore a possible listing in Shanghai, joining other global firms in testing the waters for a China listing, along with its increasing presence there.

Coke has said it will commit $2 billion in investment into China and last October opened three new plants in Inner Mongolia, Henan and Guangdong.

"We are interested in exploring the opportunity of listing our stock on the Shanghai Stock Exchange," Geoff Walsh, public affairs and communications director for Asia Pacific of Coca-Cola, said in an email reply to Reuters.

"Obviously, we need to better understand the regulatory framework and listing requirements," Walsh said. "We continue to have positive discussions with Chinese government officials as we look at this opportunity."

Walsh's comments follow a report in the Hong Kong Economic Journal, saying Coca-Cola was studying a possible listing on the proposed international board on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. [ID:nL3E7H1091]

HSBC , Unilever and Standard Chartered Plc have said they want to list on the international board, which was originally slated to be launched in 2010.

The New York Stock Exchange is working with China to launch the country's international board that will allow foreign firms to list on the mainland, in a move seen as a crucial step in developing its capital markets. [ID:nL4E7GK04N] (Reporting by Xavier Ng and Donny Kwok; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Ken Wills)


Birou Notarial Bucuresti



Baloane


(Corrects second paragraph to show Coca-Cola opened new plants in Inner Mongolia, Henan and Guangdong last October (not three plants in Inner Mongolia)

HONG KONG, June 1 (Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co , the world's largest soft-drink company, said on Wednesday it may explore a possible listing in Shanghai, joining other global firms in testing the waters for a China listing, along with its increasing presence there.

Coke has said it will commit $2 billion in investment into China and last October opened three new plants in Inner Mongolia, Henan and Guangdong.

"We are interested in exploring the opportunity of listing our stock on the Shanghai Stock Exchange," Geoff Walsh, public affairs and communications director for Asia Pacific of Coca-Cola, said in an email reply to Reuters.

"Obviously, we need to better understand the regulatory framework and listing requirements," Walsh said. "We continue to have positive discussions with Chinese government officials as we look at this opportunity."

Walsh's comments follow a report in the Hong Kong Economic Journal, saying Coca-Cola was studying a possible listing on the proposed international board on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. [ID:nL3E7H1091]

HSBC , Unilever and Standard Chartered Plc have said they want to list on the international board, which was originally slated to be launched in 2010.

The New York Stock Exchange is working with China to launch the country's international board that will allow foreign firms to list on the mainland, in a move seen as a crucial step in developing its capital markets. [ID:nL4E7GK04N] (Reporting by Xavier Ng and Donny Kwok; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Ken Wills)


Baloane


Cost aparat dentar


(Corrects second paragraph to show Coca-Cola opened new plants in Inner Mongolia, Henan and Guangdong last October (not three plants in Inner Mongolia)

HONG KONG, June 1 (Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co , the world's largest soft-drink company, said on Wednesday it may explore a possible listing in Shanghai, joining other global firms in testing the waters for a China listing, along with its increasing presence there.

Coke has said it will commit $2 billion in investment into China and last October opened three new plants in Inner Mongolia, Henan and Guangdong.

"We are interested in exploring the opportunity of listing our stock on the Shanghai Stock Exchange," Geoff Walsh, public affairs and communications director for Asia Pacific of Coca-Cola, said in an email reply to Reuters.

"Obviously, we need to better understand the regulatory framework and listing requirements," Walsh said. "We continue to have positive discussions with Chinese government officials as we look at this opportunity."

Walsh's comments follow a report in the Hong Kong Economic Journal, saying Coca-Cola was studying a possible listing on the proposed international board on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. [ID:nL3E7H1091]

HSBC , Unilever and Standard Chartered Plc have said they want to list on the international board, which was originally slated to be launched in 2010.

The New York Stock Exchange is working with China to launch the country's international board that will allow foreign firms to list on the mainland, in a move seen as a crucial step in developing its capital markets. [ID:nL4E7GK04N] (Reporting by Xavier Ng and Donny Kwok; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Ken Wills)


Cost aparat dentar

FEATURE-Islamic trusts could revive Gulf property market

birou notarial


* Islamic trusts seen lifting confidence in GCC real estate

* Gulf investors still inclined towards real estate

By Shaheen Pasha

DUBAI, June 2 (Reuters) - Jordanian Ashraf Hamdan began investing in Dubai's real estate market in 2006, with a few modest rental investment forays before turning his sights on flashier projects as a wave of luxury developments hit the market.

The real estate bust in 2008 left investors like Hamdan with half-finished projects sitting in the desert sun and losses that were unlikely to be recouped.

"It was a costly learning experience for a real estate investor," said the 53-year-old businessman. "But real estate is in our blood here in the Arab world. It's a tangible investment, and from an Islamic perspective, that appeals to me.

"I'm just going to be looking for smarter, alternative ways to get into the market in the future."

The emergence of Islamic real estate investment trusts (REIT) in the Middle East, which offer the chance to own shares in a portfolio of real estate assets with a steady paid dividend from the income earned on those assets, may lure investors like Hamdan back to the sector again.

Islamic REITS differ from their conventional counterparts by banning investment in any assets that pay interest or conduct business in any forbidden industry, like gambling, alcohol or adult entertainment.

Aside from providing an alternative investment in the Gulf Islamic finance industry it could also inject more transparency and regulation in a property sector plagued by unrealistic expectations of returns and occasionally murky dealings.

"Over the last two or three years, people have been in freeze mode where the focus was cash and other liquid things," said Daniel Diembers, principal at Booz & Company in Dubai.

"The Dubai bubble really helped the (property) market to mature. Now is the moment where it is all shifting. There is a lot of wealth up for grabs."

Globally, the market capitalisation for REITs was around $570 billion at the end of 2009, a 2010 Ernst & Young study said. Islamic REITs play a small role, with Asia serving as the predominant hub for sharia-compliant trusts.

RENEWED CONFIDENCE

Malaysia's Axis Global Industrial real estate investment trust (REIT) is planning an initial public offering with an asset size of $1.05 billion, making it the world's largest Islamic REIT.

Islamic REITs launched in Bahrain and Kuwait have been relatively small in size - Bahrain's Inovest REIT and Kuwait's Al Mahrab Tower REIT launched with less than $95 million in capital each - and neither has been publicly listed.

But an anticipated infrastructure boom in hot markets such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar and the launch of the UAE's first Islamic REIT may buoy faith in real estate investments, creating a wider niche for the sharia-compliant trusts to thrive.

Emirates REIT, which launched with seed capital from Islamic lender Dubai Islamic Bank DISB.DU last November, is aimed at medium-income investors and offers returns of 6 to 8 percent annually, said Mark Inch, director of Eiffel Holding and founding shareholder of Emirates REIT.

"There is a discipline and transparency that comes with a regulated REIT," he said. "Buildings will not only be properly managed but financial management will also be completely transparent. It's a prerequisite of bringing back confidence."

Emirates REIT has 40 deals under review ranging between 40 million dirhams to 500 million dirhams and will be fully operational by the summer, Inch said. An initial public offering is planned within 18 months to two years once it secures assets of 1.5 billion dirhams.

The interest is growing. National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD.AD) is considering creating an Islamic REIT while the FTSE Group may develop an Islamic REIT index as the industry grows globally, officials at both said.

The Gulf region has dabbled in the REIT market over the years with little success.

A 2008 Islamic REIT launched by Saudi Arabia's Sumou Holding and Geneva-based Encore Management fizzled in the kingdom as the financial crisis sapped enthusiasm. Other attempts to launch a REIT in the region, including a conventional one by troubled property developer Nakheel NAKHD.UL, were quickly squashed.

Asia, by comparison, has seen a boom in sharia-compliant REITS. Malaysia, considered to be at the forefront of Islamic finance, launched its first Islamic REIT in 2006. Singapore's Sabana REIT, launched in 2010, was 2.5 times oversubscribed and saw heavy investor interest from the Gulf.

The Gulf has been held back by the slow pace of innovation in the real estate sector, as well as the Islamic finance industry in general, experts said.

In contrast to Malaysia, where the government is active in creating a strong regulatory environment, there is no regulatory standardisation in the Middle East. And investors are understandably wary of investing in a new real estate venture given the spectacular property collapse in the region.

Oz Ahmed, associate director of wholesale banking at HSBC Amanah in Malaysia, said Mideast investors seem ready for homegrown REITS given the high participation in Asian ones.

"There's definite potential for issuers within the GCC to identify assets but people have to become comfortable with them," he said.

"We've gotten to the point where we're working well in the banking paradigm. Now practitioners are looking to develop products that come closer to Islamic finance principles." (Editing by Amran Abocar and Jon Hemming)


Birou Notarial Bucuresti



Baloane


* Islamic trusts seen lifting confidence in GCC real estate

* Gulf investors still inclined towards real estate

By Shaheen Pasha

DUBAI, June 2 (Reuters) - Jordanian Ashraf Hamdan began investing in Dubai's real estate market in 2006, with a few modest rental investment forays before turning his sights on flashier projects as a wave of luxury developments hit the market.

The real estate bust in 2008 left investors like Hamdan with half-finished projects sitting in the desert sun and losses that were unlikely to be recouped.

"It was a costly learning experience for a real estate investor," said the 53-year-old businessman. "But real estate is in our blood here in the Arab world. It's a tangible investment, and from an Islamic perspective, that appeals to me.

"I'm just going to be looking for smarter, alternative ways to get into the market in the future."

The emergence of Islamic real estate investment trusts (REIT) in the Middle East, which offer the chance to own shares in a portfolio of real estate assets with a steady paid dividend from the income earned on those assets, may lure investors like Hamdan back to the sector again.

Islamic REITS differ from their conventional counterparts by banning investment in any assets that pay interest or conduct business in any forbidden industry, like gambling, alcohol or adult entertainment.

Aside from providing an alternative investment in the Gulf Islamic finance industry it could also inject more transparency and regulation in a property sector plagued by unrealistic expectations of returns and occasionally murky dealings.

"Over the last two or three years, people have been in freeze mode where the focus was cash and other liquid things," said Daniel Diembers, principal at Booz & Company in Dubai.

"The Dubai bubble really helped the (property) market to mature. Now is the moment where it is all shifting. There is a lot of wealth up for grabs."

Globally, the market capitalisation for REITs was around $570 billion at the end of 2009, a 2010 Ernst & Young study said. Islamic REITs play a small role, with Asia serving as the predominant hub for sharia-compliant trusts.

RENEWED CONFIDENCE

Malaysia's Axis Global Industrial real estate investment trust (REIT) is planning an initial public offering with an asset size of $1.05 billion, making it the world's largest Islamic REIT.

Islamic REITs launched in Bahrain and Kuwait have been relatively small in size - Bahrain's Inovest REIT and Kuwait's Al Mahrab Tower REIT launched with less than $95 million in capital each - and neither has been publicly listed.

But an anticipated infrastructure boom in hot markets such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar and the launch of the UAE's first Islamic REIT may buoy faith in real estate investments, creating a wider niche for the sharia-compliant trusts to thrive.

Emirates REIT, which launched with seed capital from Islamic lender Dubai Islamic Bank DISB.DU last November, is aimed at medium-income investors and offers returns of 6 to 8 percent annually, said Mark Inch, director of Eiffel Holding and founding shareholder of Emirates REIT.

"There is a discipline and transparency that comes with a regulated REIT," he said. "Buildings will not only be properly managed but financial management will also be completely transparent. It's a prerequisite of bringing back confidence."

Emirates REIT has 40 deals under review ranging between 40 million dirhams to 500 million dirhams and will be fully operational by the summer, Inch said. An initial public offering is planned within 18 months to two years once it secures assets of 1.5 billion dirhams.

The interest is growing. National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD.AD) is considering creating an Islamic REIT while the FTSE Group may develop an Islamic REIT index as the industry grows globally, officials at both said.

The Gulf region has dabbled in the REIT market over the years with little success.

A 2008 Islamic REIT launched by Saudi Arabia's Sumou Holding and Geneva-based Encore Management fizzled in the kingdom as the financial crisis sapped enthusiasm. Other attempts to launch a REIT in the region, including a conventional one by troubled property developer Nakheel NAKHD.UL, were quickly squashed.

Asia, by comparison, has seen a boom in sharia-compliant REITS. Malaysia, considered to be at the forefront of Islamic finance, launched its first Islamic REIT in 2006. Singapore's Sabana REIT, launched in 2010, was 2.5 times oversubscribed and saw heavy investor interest from the Gulf.

The Gulf has been held back by the slow pace of innovation in the real estate sector, as well as the Islamic finance industry in general, experts said.

In contrast to Malaysia, where the government is active in creating a strong regulatory environment, there is no regulatory standardisation in the Middle East. And investors are understandably wary of investing in a new real estate venture given the spectacular property collapse in the region.

Oz Ahmed, associate director of wholesale banking at HSBC Amanah in Malaysia, said Mideast investors seem ready for homegrown REITS given the high participation in Asian ones.

"There's definite potential for issuers within the GCC to identify assets but people have to become comfortable with them," he said.

"We've gotten to the point where we're working well in the banking paradigm. Now practitioners are looking to develop products that come closer to Islamic finance principles." (Editing by Amran Abocar and Jon Hemming)


Baloane


Cost aparat dentar


* Islamic trusts seen lifting confidence in GCC real estate

* Gulf investors still inclined towards real estate

By Shaheen Pasha

DUBAI, June 2 (Reuters) - Jordanian Ashraf Hamdan began investing in Dubai's real estate market in 2006, with a few modest rental investment forays before turning his sights on flashier projects as a wave of luxury developments hit the market.

The real estate bust in 2008 left investors like Hamdan with half-finished projects sitting in the desert sun and losses that were unlikely to be recouped.

"It was a costly learning experience for a real estate investor," said the 53-year-old businessman. "But real estate is in our blood here in the Arab world. It's a tangible investment, and from an Islamic perspective, that appeals to me.

"I'm just going to be looking for smarter, alternative ways to get into the market in the future."

The emergence of Islamic real estate investment trusts (REIT) in the Middle East, which offer the chance to own shares in a portfolio of real estate assets with a steady paid dividend from the income earned on those assets, may lure investors like Hamdan back to the sector again.

Islamic REITS differ from their conventional counterparts by banning investment in any assets that pay interest or conduct business in any forbidden industry, like gambling, alcohol or adult entertainment.

Aside from providing an alternative investment in the Gulf Islamic finance industry it could also inject more transparency and regulation in a property sector plagued by unrealistic expectations of returns and occasionally murky dealings.

"Over the last two or three years, people have been in freeze mode where the focus was cash and other liquid things," said Daniel Diembers, principal at Booz & Company in Dubai.

"The Dubai bubble really helped the (property) market to mature. Now is the moment where it is all shifting. There is a lot of wealth up for grabs."

Globally, the market capitalisation for REITs was around $570 billion at the end of 2009, a 2010 Ernst & Young study said. Islamic REITs play a small role, with Asia serving as the predominant hub for sharia-compliant trusts.

RENEWED CONFIDENCE

Malaysia's Axis Global Industrial real estate investment trust (REIT) is planning an initial public offering with an asset size of $1.05 billion, making it the world's largest Islamic REIT.

Islamic REITs launched in Bahrain and Kuwait have been relatively small in size - Bahrain's Inovest REIT and Kuwait's Al Mahrab Tower REIT launched with less than $95 million in capital each - and neither has been publicly listed.

But an anticipated infrastructure boom in hot markets such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar and the launch of the UAE's first Islamic REIT may buoy faith in real estate investments, creating a wider niche for the sharia-compliant trusts to thrive.

Emirates REIT, which launched with seed capital from Islamic lender Dubai Islamic Bank DISB.DU last November, is aimed at medium-income investors and offers returns of 6 to 8 percent annually, said Mark Inch, director of Eiffel Holding and founding shareholder of Emirates REIT.

"There is a discipline and transparency that comes with a regulated REIT," he said. "Buildings will not only be properly managed but financial management will also be completely transparent. It's a prerequisite of bringing back confidence."

Emirates REIT has 40 deals under review ranging between 40 million dirhams to 500 million dirhams and will be fully operational by the summer, Inch said. An initial public offering is planned within 18 months to two years once it secures assets of 1.5 billion dirhams.

The interest is growing. National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD.AD) is considering creating an Islamic REIT while the FTSE Group may develop an Islamic REIT index as the industry grows globally, officials at both said.

The Gulf region has dabbled in the REIT market over the years with little success.

A 2008 Islamic REIT launched by Saudi Arabia's Sumou Holding and Geneva-based Encore Management fizzled in the kingdom as the financial crisis sapped enthusiasm. Other attempts to launch a REIT in the region, including a conventional one by troubled property developer Nakheel NAKHD.UL, were quickly squashed.

Asia, by comparison, has seen a boom in sharia-compliant REITS. Malaysia, considered to be at the forefront of Islamic finance, launched its first Islamic REIT in 2006. Singapore's Sabana REIT, launched in 2010, was 2.5 times oversubscribed and saw heavy investor interest from the Gulf.

The Gulf has been held back by the slow pace of innovation in the real estate sector, as well as the Islamic finance industry in general, experts said.

In contrast to Malaysia, where the government is active in creating a strong regulatory environment, there is no regulatory standardisation in the Middle East. And investors are understandably wary of investing in a new real estate venture given the spectacular property collapse in the region.

Oz Ahmed, associate director of wholesale banking at HSBC Amanah in Malaysia, said Mideast investors seem ready for homegrown REITS given the high participation in Asian ones.

"There's definite potential for issuers within the GCC to identify assets but people have to become comfortable with them," he said.

"We've gotten to the point where we're working well in the banking paradigm. Now practitioners are looking to develop products that come closer to Islamic finance principles." (Editing by Amran Abocar and Jon Hemming)


Cost aparat dentar

GLOBAL MARKETS-Stocks, oil extend losses on global growth fears

birou notarial


* World stocks fall 0.8 pct; Europe opens weaker

* Oil, metals extend losses; mining stocks hit

* Dollar index stuck near 1-mth lows; euro up

* 10-yr US yields near 6-mth lows; Bunds, gilts rally

By Sujata Rao

LONDON, June 2 (Reuters) - World stocks extended losses on Thursday and the dollar hovered near a one-month lows against major currencies after a run of dismal economic data pointed to a faltering recovery in the United States.

Fears the global economy could be headed for a more prolonged soft patch than expected pushed oil prices down for the second day running and kept U.S. 10-year bond yields close to the six-month lows they hit in the previous session. Investors remained on the sidelines ahead of key U.S. jobs data due on Friday, with their appetite for risk-taking also hit by lacklustre data from emerging and other developed economies.

"The outlook is darkening. It must be worrying for the global economic authorities. It has cost about $10 trillion worldwide to create the impression of an economic revival and we have nothing to show for it," said Jeremy Batstone-Carr, strategist at Charles Stanley.

He was referring to the enormous amounts of cash stimulus central banks around the world pumped into their economies to boost growth after the 2008 financial crisis.

With the U.S. Federal Reserve set to wrap up its $600 billion bond buying programme later this month, the signals of more economic weakness ahead are especially worrying for riskier assets such as equities, high-yield bonds and emerging markets.

By 0900 GMT, the MSCI index of global equities had fallen 0.8 percent .MIWD00000PUS, extending the previous session's 1.2 percent decline after U.S. data showed private sector job creation was way below forecasts in April.

Factory growth worldwide also weakened last month, surveys from Europe to Asia showed earlier [ID:nLDE7500VU].

All that fuelled a 2.3 percent tumble in the S&P 500 U.S. index .SPX, the biggest one-day fall since mid-August 2010.

Emerging equities shed 1.2 percent .MSCIEF, with Chinese markets closing 1.4 percent lower at a four-month low .SSEC.

European stocks also fell. The FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 index of top European shares was down 0.9 percent, after a one percent tumble on Wednesday.

Mining and energy firms were hardest hit as investors fretted that global commodity demand would weaken. Stocks such as Antofagasta (ANTO.L) and Xstrata (XTA.L) fell between 2.4 percent and 2.8 percent shortly after opening.

Earlier in Asia, Japanese shares fell 1.7 percent .N225, hit also by the political backdrop as Prime Minister Naoto Kan said he would resign once he gets a nuclear crisis under control.

DOLLAR, OIL, METALS HIT; BONDS RALLY

Markets are now awaiting U.S. non-farm payrolls data, seen as the best barometer of the world's largest economy, with analysts slashing their estimates on job creation.

The median forecast of U.S. payrolls growth in May in a Reuters poll was revised down to 150,000 from the prior forecast of 180,000 after a report on Wednesday reflected weak private sector employment activity. [ID:nN01187478]

The dollar remained near a one-month low against a basket of currencies .DXY and hovered near a record low versus the Swiss franc on Thursday.

"I don't think anyone is really expecting Friday's U.S. employment data to be strong. Investors have already tried to price in possible low figures on Friday, selling the dollar," said Sumino Kamei, a senior currency analyst at the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ.

"A lot will depend on whether yields on U.S. debt stay depressed for a while longer."

Ankita Dudani, currency strategist at RBS in London added: "We're in a stage where the dollar will be soft if people become concerned about weak U.S. data, as QE3 could become a by-product of that."

She was referring to the possibility of a third phase of U.S. quantitative easing -- effectively more money printing by the Fed once its current programme ends.

The euro rose half a percent against the greenback EUR= to a three-week high, though Greece's debt woes were seen capping the single currency's gains. Moody's on Wednesday cut Greece's ratings by three notches deep into junk territory.

Recent data weakness has seen investors pile into U.S. Treasuries, with 10-year yields falling under 3 percent on Wednesday for the first time since last December. Treasuries dipped only slightly off those levels while German Bunds and UK gilts rallied as the flight to safety continued.

Bunds were at four-month highs [ID:nLDE75104J].

On global commodity markets, crude futures fell for the second day in a row while metals prices also extended losses.

By 0900 GMT, Brent oil fell 44 cents to $114.09 a barrel, while U.S. futures lost 58 cents to $99.71. Fears of a slower U.S. recovery deepened after data showed a 3.5 million-barrel jump in U.S. crude stockpiles last week, according to the American Petroleum Industry report.

Traders are also pricing in the possibility of an output rise next week by the OPEC group of oil producing nations.

(additional reporting by Kevin Plumberg in Singapore; Brian Gorman and Naomi Tajitsu in London; Editing by John Stonestreet)


Birou Notarial Bucuresti



Baloane


* World stocks fall 0.8 pct; Europe opens weaker

* Oil, metals extend losses; mining stocks hit

* Dollar index stuck near 1-mth lows; euro up

* 10-yr US yields near 6-mth lows; Bunds, gilts rally

By Sujata Rao

LONDON, June 2 (Reuters) - World stocks extended losses on Thursday and the dollar hovered near a one-month lows against major currencies after a run of dismal economic data pointed to a faltering recovery in the United States.

Fears the global economy could be headed for a more prolonged soft patch than expected pushed oil prices down for the second day running and kept U.S. 10-year bond yields close to the six-month lows they hit in the previous session. Investors remained on the sidelines ahead of key U.S. jobs data due on Friday, with their appetite for risk-taking also hit by lacklustre data from emerging and other developed economies.

"The outlook is darkening. It must be worrying for the global economic authorities. It has cost about $10 trillion worldwide to create the impression of an economic revival and we have nothing to show for it," said Jeremy Batstone-Carr, strategist at Charles Stanley.

He was referring to the enormous amounts of cash stimulus central banks around the world pumped into their economies to boost growth after the 2008 financial crisis.

With the U.S. Federal Reserve set to wrap up its $600 billion bond buying programme later this month, the signals of more economic weakness ahead are especially worrying for riskier assets such as equities, high-yield bonds and emerging markets.

By 0900 GMT, the MSCI index of global equities had fallen 0.8 percent .MIWD00000PUS, extending the previous session's 1.2 percent decline after U.S. data showed private sector job creation was way below forecasts in April.

Factory growth worldwide also weakened last month, surveys from Europe to Asia showed earlier [ID:nLDE7500VU].

All that fuelled a 2.3 percent tumble in the S&P 500 U.S. index .SPX, the biggest one-day fall since mid-August 2010.

Emerging equities shed 1.2 percent .MSCIEF, with Chinese markets closing 1.4 percent lower at a four-month low .SSEC.

European stocks also fell. The FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 index of top European shares was down 0.9 percent, after a one percent tumble on Wednesday.

Mining and energy firms were hardest hit as investors fretted that global commodity demand would weaken. Stocks such as Antofagasta (ANTO.L) and Xstrata (XTA.L) fell between 2.4 percent and 2.8 percent shortly after opening.

Earlier in Asia, Japanese shares fell 1.7 percent .N225, hit also by the political backdrop as Prime Minister Naoto Kan said he would resign once he gets a nuclear crisis under control.

DOLLAR, OIL, METALS HIT; BONDS RALLY

Markets are now awaiting U.S. non-farm payrolls data, seen as the best barometer of the world's largest economy, with analysts slashing their estimates on job creation.

The median forecast of U.S. payrolls growth in May in a Reuters poll was revised down to 150,000 from the prior forecast of 180,000 after a report on Wednesday reflected weak private sector employment activity. [ID:nN01187478]

The dollar remained near a one-month low against a basket of currencies .DXY and hovered near a record low versus the Swiss franc on Thursday.

"I don't think anyone is really expecting Friday's U.S. employment data to be strong. Investors have already tried to price in possible low figures on Friday, selling the dollar," said Sumino Kamei, a senior currency analyst at the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ.

"A lot will depend on whether yields on U.S. debt stay depressed for a while longer."

Ankita Dudani, currency strategist at RBS in London added: "We're in a stage where the dollar will be soft if people become concerned about weak U.S. data, as QE3 could become a by-product of that."

She was referring to the possibility of a third phase of U.S. quantitative easing -- effectively more money printing by the Fed once its current programme ends.

The euro rose half a percent against the greenback EUR= to a three-week high, though Greece's debt woes were seen capping the single currency's gains. Moody's on Wednesday cut Greece's ratings by three notches deep into junk territory.

Recent data weakness has seen investors pile into U.S. Treasuries, with 10-year yields falling under 3 percent on Wednesday for the first time since last December. Treasuries dipped only slightly off those levels while German Bunds and UK gilts rallied as the flight to safety continued.

Bunds were at four-month highs [ID:nLDE75104J].

On global commodity markets, crude futures fell for the second day in a row while metals prices also extended losses.

By 0900 GMT, Brent oil fell 44 cents to $114.09 a barrel, while U.S. futures lost 58 cents to $99.71. Fears of a slower U.S. recovery deepened after data showed a 3.5 million-barrel jump in U.S. crude stockpiles last week, according to the American Petroleum Industry report.

Traders are also pricing in the possibility of an output rise next week by the OPEC group of oil producing nations.

(additional reporting by Kevin Plumberg in Singapore; Brian Gorman and Naomi Tajitsu in London; Editing by John Stonestreet)


Baloane


Cost aparat dentar


* World stocks fall 0.8 pct; Europe opens weaker

* Oil, metals extend losses; mining stocks hit

* Dollar index stuck near 1-mth lows; euro up

* 10-yr US yields near 6-mth lows; Bunds, gilts rally

By Sujata Rao

LONDON, June 2 (Reuters) - World stocks extended losses on Thursday and the dollar hovered near a one-month lows against major currencies after a run of dismal economic data pointed to a faltering recovery in the United States.

Fears the global economy could be headed for a more prolonged soft patch than expected pushed oil prices down for the second day running and kept U.S. 10-year bond yields close to the six-month lows they hit in the previous session. Investors remained on the sidelines ahead of key U.S. jobs data due on Friday, with their appetite for risk-taking also hit by lacklustre data from emerging and other developed economies.

"The outlook is darkening. It must be worrying for the global economic authorities. It has cost about $10 trillion worldwide to create the impression of an economic revival and we have nothing to show for it," said Jeremy Batstone-Carr, strategist at Charles Stanley.

He was referring to the enormous amounts of cash stimulus central banks around the world pumped into their economies to boost growth after the 2008 financial crisis.

With the U.S. Federal Reserve set to wrap up its $600 billion bond buying programme later this month, the signals of more economic weakness ahead are especially worrying for riskier assets such as equities, high-yield bonds and emerging markets.

By 0900 GMT, the MSCI index of global equities had fallen 0.8 percent .MIWD00000PUS, extending the previous session's 1.2 percent decline after U.S. data showed private sector job creation was way below forecasts in April.

Factory growth worldwide also weakened last month, surveys from Europe to Asia showed earlier [ID:nLDE7500VU].

All that fuelled a 2.3 percent tumble in the S&P 500 U.S. index .SPX, the biggest one-day fall since mid-August 2010.

Emerging equities shed 1.2 percent .MSCIEF, with Chinese markets closing 1.4 percent lower at a four-month low .SSEC.

European stocks also fell. The FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 index of top European shares was down 0.9 percent, after a one percent tumble on Wednesday.

Mining and energy firms were hardest hit as investors fretted that global commodity demand would weaken. Stocks such as Antofagasta (ANTO.L) and Xstrata (XTA.L) fell between 2.4 percent and 2.8 percent shortly after opening.

Earlier in Asia, Japanese shares fell 1.7 percent .N225, hit also by the political backdrop as Prime Minister Naoto Kan said he would resign once he gets a nuclear crisis under control.

DOLLAR, OIL, METALS HIT; BONDS RALLY

Markets are now awaiting U.S. non-farm payrolls data, seen as the best barometer of the world's largest economy, with analysts slashing their estimates on job creation.

The median forecast of U.S. payrolls growth in May in a Reuters poll was revised down to 150,000 from the prior forecast of 180,000 after a report on Wednesday reflected weak private sector employment activity. [ID:nN01187478]

The dollar remained near a one-month low against a basket of currencies .DXY and hovered near a record low versus the Swiss franc on Thursday.

"I don't think anyone is really expecting Friday's U.S. employment data to be strong. Investors have already tried to price in possible low figures on Friday, selling the dollar," said Sumino Kamei, a senior currency analyst at the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ.

"A lot will depend on whether yields on U.S. debt stay depressed for a while longer."

Ankita Dudani, currency strategist at RBS in London added: "We're in a stage where the dollar will be soft if people become concerned about weak U.S. data, as QE3 could become a by-product of that."

She was referring to the possibility of a third phase of U.S. quantitative easing -- effectively more money printing by the Fed once its current programme ends.

The euro rose half a percent against the greenback EUR= to a three-week high, though Greece's debt woes were seen capping the single currency's gains. Moody's on Wednesday cut Greece's ratings by three notches deep into junk territory.

Recent data weakness has seen investors pile into U.S. Treasuries, with 10-year yields falling under 3 percent on Wednesday for the first time since last December. Treasuries dipped only slightly off those levels while German Bunds and UK gilts rallied as the flight to safety continued.

Bunds were at four-month highs [ID:nLDE75104J].

On global commodity markets, crude futures fell for the second day in a row while metals prices also extended losses.

By 0900 GMT, Brent oil fell 44 cents to $114.09 a barrel, while U.S. futures lost 58 cents to $99.71. Fears of a slower U.S. recovery deepened after data showed a 3.5 million-barrel jump in U.S. crude stockpiles last week, according to the American Petroleum Industry report.

Traders are also pricing in the possibility of an output rise next week by the OPEC group of oil producing nations.

(additional reporting by Kevin Plumberg in Singapore; Brian Gorman and Naomi Tajitsu in London; Editing by John Stonestreet)


Cost aparat dentar