Stocks Retreat in Europe; UBS, BNP, Philips, BHP, Lafarge Lead the Drop

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks fell, following
declines in Asia and the U.S., on mounting concern that losses in
the U.S. mortgage market will erode economic growth and raise
financing costs for companies.

UBS AG and BNP Paribas SA led a drop by financial shares.
Royal Philips Electronics NV and Lafarge SA decreased as the
dollar traded near a record low against the euro. BHP Billiton
Ltd. and Rio Tinto Group slipped after copper fell in Shanghai.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European Government Bonds Advance as Asian Stocks Slide on Subprime Losses

(Bloomberg) -- European government bonds rose for a
second day as Asian stocks slid on concern U.S. subprime mortgage
losses will slow economic growth and drive up global financing
costs.

Gains in bunds pushed benchmark 10-year yields to near the
lowest since May as investors sold riskier assets and sought the
relative safety of government debt. Bear Stearns Cos. ousted Co-
President Warren Spector after credit-market losses and eroding
investor confidence.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Treasuries Little Changed on Signs of Slowing Expansion, Decline in Stocks

(Bloomberg) -- Treasuries were little changed as
Asian stocks slid and speculation increased that losses tied to
subprime mortgages will prompt the Federal Reserve to cut
interest rates this year.

Ten-year notes may extend their gains into a fifth week
after reports showed employers added fewer jobs than expected
last month and bond investors are becoming less bearish.
Treasuries are on track to return 5.3 percent this year, the
most since 2002, according to a Merrill Lynch & Co. index.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Asian Currencies Decline on Speculation Investors to Cut Regional Holdings

(Bloomberg) -- Asian currencies declined, led by the
Indonesian rupiah and Philippine peso, on speculation investors
are cutting holdings in the region as signs mount that the U.S.
economy is slowing.

The rupiah fell to a one-year low and the South Korean won
slipped to its weakest in a month, joining declines in stocks, as
reports on Aug. 3 showed U.S. employers added fewer jobs in July
and service industries growth slowed. The U.S. is the second-
biggest buyer of Indonesia's and South Korean exports.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

HK financier Francis Leung joins CVC as adviser

(Reuters) - Leung, a long-time banker to Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing with close China ties, was with Citigroup Global Markets as chairman of Asia until last year focusing on developing Citigroup's Greater China investment banking business, CVC said.




CVC, which is a major shareholder in global motor racing business Formula 1, owns interest in Australia's media group PBL Media, Japan's restaurant chain Skylark, Singapore's precision metals stamping firm Amtek, Malaysia's largest paper packaging firm GS Paper and Packaging, and Chinese wood fibreboards maker Plantation Timber Products.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

GM beats second-quarter estimates

(Reuters) - GM posted a second-quarter profit of $891 million against a massive $3.4-billion loss a year ago, bolstered by gains in Europe, Latin America and Asia, sales of higher-margin vehicles and a one-time, tax-related gain.




The automaker also sharply narrowed its losses in its troubled home market, but vowed to keep the pressure on costs, the overriding issue in a crucial round of ongoing labor talks with its major union.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Asian Stocks Rebound From Rout in U.S. Trading; HSBC Climbs on Earnings

(Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks trading in the U.S.
rebounded from their biggest weekly drop in more than four months
after HSBC Holdings Plc and PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia reported
higher earnings.

The Bank of New York Co.'s Asia ADR Index, tracking the
region's American depositary receipts, rose 1.9 percent, the most
since May 11, to 167.96. The measure last week declined 3.8
percent, the most since the period ended March 2.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Copper Rises in Asia on U.S. Economic Growth Report; Zinc, Aluminum Up

(Bloomberg) -- Copper futures in Asia rose after a
report showed faster-than-expected economic growth in the U.S.,
indicating demand may increase in the world's second-largest
consumer of the metal.

The U.S. economy expanded at a 3.4 percent annual rate in
the second quarter, the fastest in more than a year, as
commercial construction soared, the Commerce Department said
July 27. Construction is the main market for copper in the U.S.,
accounting for almost half of its use.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Asian Stocks Rebound From 1-Month Low; JFE Gains, Hon Hai Precision Falls

(Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks rebounded from a one-
month low after higher profits at JFE Holdings Inc. and Nippon
Steel Corp. helped offset concerns of a slump in U.S. housing.

Toyota Motor Corp., the world's largest automaker by market
value, and Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., the biggest contract
manufacturer, led declines after a report showed a decline in U.S.
housing investment.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Australian and New Zealand's Dollars Fall as Investors Cut Carry Trades

(Bloomberg) -- The Australian and New Zealand
dollars both fell to the weakest in a month against the U.S.
currency as a slide in stocks prompted investors to cut holdings
in higher-yielding securities.

The currencies were the worst performing today of the 16
most-traded as the Morgan Stanley Capital International Asia
Pacific Index fell 0.7 percent. A slump in corporate debt caused
investors to pare carry trades, in which they borrow cheaply in
yen and seek higher returns.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Ten-Year Treasury Yields Near 10-Week Low as Asia Stocks Follow U.S. Lower

(Bloomberg) -- Treasuries were little changed, with
10-year note yields near a 10-week low, as Asian stock markets
slumped because investors are shunning riskier assets.

The securities look set to add to last week's biggest gain
since the period ended Sept. 22 on concern a U.S. housing market
slowdown and defaults on subprime mortgages will weigh on the
broader economy. Japan's equity markets led the region lower,
with the Nikkei 225 Stock Average declining more than 1 percent.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Bank Rakyat, Bharat Heavy, China Life, Hana: Asia Ex-Japan Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following stocks may rise or
fall today in Asian markets, excluding Japan. This preview
includes news that broke after markets closed on July 27. Prices
are from the local market's last close. Stock symbols are in
parentheses after company names.

PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BBRI IJ): Indonesia's biggest
lender by market value said profit in the first half rose 17
percent as it expanded lending to companies and consumers in an
accelerating economy. Net income increased to 2.36 trillion
rupiah ($255 million) in the six months ended June 30, from 2.01
trillion rupiah a year earlier. The shares fell 200 rupiah, or
3.2 percent, to 6,100.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Madagascar, China sign deals worth $78 million

(Reuters) - China and Madagascar have signed four deals worth roughly $78 million for hotel construction and debt alleviation among other things, Malagasy officials said.

The deals confirmed agreements made at the China-Africa summit in Beijing last November between the Asian powerhouse and the enormous, mineral-rich island.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Yen Strengthens as Equities Decline, Prompting Unwinding of Carry Trades

(Bloomberg) -- The yen rose to a 2 1/2-month high
against the dollar as global equities fell, prompting traders to
reduce investment in assets funded by borrowing in Japan.

The Japanese yen rose against all 16 most-actively traded
currencies as investors pared so-called carry trades, following a
declines in stock markets in Asia and Europe. U.S. stock-index
futures also dropped on concern losses related to subprime
mortgages will undermine economic growth.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand: Asia Local Bond Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following events and economic
reports may influence trading in Asian local-currency bonds
today. Yields are from the previous session.

China: The government will further tighten monetary policy
after increasing lending and deposit rates last week, Hong Kong
Monetary Authority Chief Executive Joseph Yam said on Hong Kong
Commercial Broadcasting radio yesterday. Yam urged investors to
be careful as financial markets are growing more turbulent, the
broadcaster reported. The government will sell 28 billion yuan
($3.7 billion) of six-month notes tomorrow.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Gold Little Changed in Asia After Reaching Two-Month High; Silver Advances

(Bloomberg) -- Gold was little changed in Asia after
reaching the highest in more than two months, supported by the
euro's gain to a record against the dollar and crude oil's
advance last week to near a one-year high. Silver rose.

Gold generally moves in the opposite direction to the U.S.
currency, which slid to a record low of $1.3845 per euro today
amid concern about U.S. loans to homeowners with poor credit.
Crude oil was little changed at $75.53 a barrel at 11:04 a.m.
Singapore time, after climbing to $76.13 a barrel on July 20, the
highest since Aug. 10.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Sri Lanka's Central Bank Keeps Key Rate Unchanged at Highest Level in Asia

(Bloomberg) -- Sri Lanka's central bank kept its
benchmark interest rate unchanged at the highest level in Asia
to help bring inflation below 10 percent.

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka maintained its repurchase
rate at 10.5 percent for a fifth straight meeting, the Colombo-
based bank said in a statement today. Ten out of 11 analysts in
a Bloomberg News survey predicted the decision. One expected a
25 basis point cut.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

Japan Bonds Gain on Speculation Investors Sought Safety of Government Debt

(Bloomberg) -- Japan's bonds rose for a fifth day on
speculation a decline in emerging-market debt and equities will
prompt investors to seek the relative safety of government
securities.

The Japanese 10-year yield fell to the lowest in almost
three weeks as a drop in U.S. stocks extended to Asia. The yield
premium required to compensate buyers for the extra risk of
holding emerging-market debt compared with similar-maturity U.S.
Treasuries climbed to the highest since March, according to
JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s EMBI Plus index.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Mobile-8 Telecom, Vietnam, Shinhan Card, Hyundai Capital: Asia Bond Alert

(Bloomberg) -- PT Mobile-8 Telecom, an Indonesian
mobile-phone operator that counts Qualcomm Inc. as an investor,
and Vietnam are among borrowers seeking to sell at least $7
billion of bonds in Asia, according to data compiled by
Bloomberg.

Governments and companies in Asia sold $43.6 billion of
debt denominated in dollars, euros and yen this year, up from
$37.5 billion a year earlier, Bloomberg data show. Sales of
Samurai bonds, yen debt sold by foreign entities in Japan, rose
to 1.4 trillion yen ($11.6 billion), from 741 billion yen in the
whole of 2006.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Asian Stocks Fall From a Record; Honda, Exporters Decline on U.S. Concern

(Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks fell, with a key
regional index dropping from a record. Honda Motor Co. paced a
decline among exporters as disappointing earnings from
Caterpillar Inc. dented confidence in the U.S. economy.

``Caterpillar's result suggested some earnings estimates
were too optimistic,'' said Norihiro Fujito, strategist at
Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Co. in Tokyo.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News