HeidelbergCement CEO sees Maxit sale soon -paper

(Reuters) - The world's fourth largest cement maker aims to use proceeds
from the disposal to help finance its 8 billion pound
acquisition of British aggregates specialist Hanson that
marks the biggest takeover in the sector and will create the
global number two in construction materials.




"The next one and a half years we will certainly be busy
with the integration of Hanson. These measures should be
concluded by the middle of next year -- that goes most of all
for North America and England," he said.


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Algeria says seen no suitable Gaz de France deal

(Reuters) - Algerian said its energy giant Sonatrach has not received any suitable proposal for an alliance with Gaz de France, floated as an alternative to the French utility's merger with rival Suez.

Sonatrach wanted a strategic partnership that could give it access to international reserves, energy and mines minister Chakib Khelil said in an interview to be published on August 1 in Paris-based industry magazine Petrole et Gaz Arabes.


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EMI buyer gets 85 pct of shares, extends deadline

(Reuters) - EMI shares had slipped further from the offer price over the
last few days as investors worried the takeover might collapse
because of the deterioration in credit markets.




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UDATE 1-India SBI Q1 net profit up 78 pct, beats forecasts

(Reuters) - The government-run bank said net profit in April-June, its
fiscal first quarter, rose to 14.26 billion rupees from 7.99 billion rupees a year earlier.




A Reuters poll of 10 brokerages had forecast that net profit
would rise 31.6 percent to 10.5 billion rupees.


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US economic growth rebounds in second quarter

(Reuters) - U.S. economic growth rebounded during the second quarter to its strongest pace since the beginning of last year on a surge in business investment, more government spending and a better trade performance, the Commerce Department reported on Friday.

Gross domestic product that measures total output within U.S. borders gained at a 3.4 percent annual rate -- the fastest since 4.8 percent in the first quarter of 2006 -- after barely growing at a downwardly revised 0.6 percent pace in the first quarter. Second-quarter growth exceeded Wall Street economists' forecasts for a 3.2 percent rate of increase.


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