Daily Highlights: 5.13.10

• Asia stocks rally, bond risk falls as Europe debt concern eases; Won gains.
• Australian employment rises, driving currency higher on rate speculation.
• Bank of Korea to press government to reduce its involvement in meetings on interest rates.
• Experts see Europe crisis delaying Fed rate boost.
• US Prosecutors start criminal probe into Wall Street banks.
• Yuan Forwards climb as US-China talks may lead to appreciation.
• Celanese announces emulsions price increases of €80/tonne in Europe, Africa & Middle East.
• Allianz 1Q net income beats estimates on life and asset management
• AstraZeneca's $520M U.S. settlement rewards repeat whistleblowers
• BOA’s Moynihan becomes Obama's top Wall Street ally on financial-rules overhaul
• BT Group 4Q operating profit increases helped by job cuts
• Cincinnati Bell to acquire CyrusOne Data Center operations for $525M cash.
• Cisco says FY4Q sales up 25-28% to $10.68-10.93B from year-ago.
• Crescent Point Energy Corp. to buy closely held Shelter Bay Energy for $960M.
• DryShips Inc. swung to Q1 profit following a $166.7M prior-year loss on contract cancellations.
• Enel SpA Q1 profit slipped 45% to €1.05B after a gain had flattered year-earlier results.
• HTC Corp. files patent complaint to block Apple IPhone, IPad in US.
• Kohl's May net income up from $137M to $199M.
• Jones Apparel is shopping for more brands in the "accessible luxury" segment.
• Procter & Gamble raises $1.1B from first Yen bond sale in a decade
• SAP to buy Sybase for $5.8B, expanding software rivalry with Oracle.
• Sara Lee to sell its 51% stake in Godrej Sara Lee JV to India's Godrej Consumer for €185M.
• SingTel Q4 net up 12% at S$1.02B; operating revenue growth to slow.
• Sony's first annual profit forecast in three years falls short of estimate.
• Sprint's first 4G phone to go on sale June 4.
• URS Corp.'s Q1 profit grew 27% on a tax benefit, to $95.6M. Revs fell 12% to $2.21B.
• Whole Foods' Q2 net more than doubled to $67.4M; ups full-year EPS f'cast.

Economic Calendar: Data on Continuing Claims, Export-Import Prices to be released today.

Earnings Calendar: ACXM, ALKS, BLD, CA, JWN, KSS, SNE, STLY, TK, UNTY, URBN, WEN.

RECENT RATING ACTIONS
NOKIA OYJ (NOK1V FH)
FIDELITY NATIONAL INFORMATION (FIS)
WALT DISNEY CO/THE (DIS)
SOUTHERN UNION CO (SUG)
DANAHER CORP (DHR)
CIMAREX ENERGY CO (XEC)
BECTON DICKINSON AND CO (BDX)
BARRICK GOLD CORP (ABX)
TW TELECOM INC (TWTC)
UNITED STATES CELLULAR CORP (USM)
ASSURED GUARANTY LTD (AGO)
DEAN FOODS CO (DF)

Data provided by Egan-Jones Ratings and Analytics

Comments

[etrader]

UK Bans sale of 500 euro note.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE64C1JN20100513

Krugerrand's next??

[sushi]

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