Asian Stocks Fall on U.S. Economic Outlook; Hon Hai, BHP Drop

(Bloomberg) - Asian stocks fell, sending a regional benchmark to a two-week low, after the largest decline in U.S. manufacturing in five years and record oil prices heightened concerns the world's biggest economy will enter a recession.

Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., a maker of Apple Inc.'s iPods, and BHP Billiton Ltd. retreated on speculation demand for the region's electronics and raw materials will wane. National Australia Bank Ltd. led a drop by banks on concern weakening U.S. growth will widen credit-market losses.

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Resources lead S.African stock market firmer

(Reuters) - Resource shares continued to lead South African shares to higher ground on Tuesday, with heavyweight miners Anglo American and rival BHP Billiton leading the march.

"We have seen gold and copper prices up quite significantly on the back of improved global markets, which are more than anything driving our markets rather than what is happening locally," Gryphon Asset Management Chief Investment Officer, Abri du Plessis said.


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European Stocks Advance, Led by Imperial Chemicals, Linde; IKB Tumbles

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks rose for the first
time in five days, led by Imperial Chemical Industries Plc after
the company rejected a bid from Dutch rival Akzo Nobel NV.

Linde AG, the world's largest maker of industrial gases,
also gained after reporting earnings that topped analysts'
estimates. BHP Billiton Ltd. and Rio Tinto Group led mining
shares higher as copper increased.


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European stocks tick up in early trade; miners help

(Reuters) - European stocks rose in early trade on Monday as gains in miners and chemicals group ICI offset fears over the impact of a credit crunch on liquidity and mergers and acquisitions.

BHP Billiton gained 2.1 percent and Rio Tinto rose 1.5 percent, helped by gains in Australian trading.


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U.K. Stocks Rise for First Time in Five Days; ICI, BHP Billiton Pace Gains

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks rose for the first time
in five days. Imperial Chemical Industries Plc and BHP Billiton
Ltd. paced the advance.

The benchmark FTSE 100 Index added 12.9, or 0.2 percent, to
6228.1 at 8:30 a.m. in London. The FTSE All-Share Index gained
0.3 percent to 3218.95. Ireland's ISEQ Index rallied 0.3 percent
to 8378.62.


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U.K. FTSE 100 Index Climbs; Vodafone, BHP, Rio Tinto Pace the Advance

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks rose for the first time
in four days, paced by Vodafone Group Plc after the world's
largest mobile-phone company said the number of subscribers
increased by 4.1 percent in the fiscal first quarter.

BHP Billiton Ltd. and Rio Tinto Group led shares of mining
companies higher.


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U.K. Stocks Decline, Paced by BHP Billiton, Lonmin; Tate & Lyle Rallies

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks fell for a second day,
paced by BHP Billiton Ltd. after Deutsche Bank AG downgraded the
shares and metal prices retreated. Lonmin Plc dropped to a one-
month low.

Rolls-Royce Group Plc and Kelda Group Plc declined as
brokerages lowered their recommendations for the companies'
stocks. Reed Elsevier Plc dropped after it agreed to sell
Harcourt Education for $4 billion. Tate & Lyle Plc surged after
Goldman, Sachs & Co. said investors should buy the shares.


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Alcoa, Alumina Advance on Takeover Speculation After Rio's Bid for Alcan

(Bloomberg) -- Shares of Alcoa Inc. and Alumina
Ltd., partners in the world's biggest alumina venture, rose to
records on speculation that Rio Tinto Group's $38.1 billion bid
for Alcan Inc. will spark more aluminum-industry takeovers.

BHP Billiton Ltd. might bid for New York-based Alcoa and
Alumina, UBS AG analysts Glyn Lawcock and Mark Busuttil said in
a report yesterday. Alcoa also may try to buy Melbourne-based
Alumina, which owns 40 percent of the Alcoa World Alumina &
Chemical joint venture, the analysts said.


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Asian Stocks Fall on Lower Metals, U.S. Earnings Concern; Toyota Declines

(Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks fell for the first time
in three days after metals prices dropped and earnings reports in
the U.S. suggested demand is cooling in the region's biggest
export market.

Toyota Motor Corp., the world's largest automaker by market
value, and James Hardie Industries NV, the No. 1 supplier of home
siding in the U.S., led declines on concern a housing slump is
harming growth in the world's biggest economy. BHP Billiton Ltd.,
the largest mining company, was set for its biggest slide in
almost two months.


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Australian Stocks Slide, Led by BHP, James Hardie on Metals, U.S. Concerns

(Bloomberg) -- Australian stocks fell for a second
day. BHP Billiton Ltd. led mining shares lower along with prices
of metals including copper and nickel.

James Hardie Industries NV led declines among companies with
U.S. earnings on increasing evidence a housing slump is depressing
profits in the world's largest economy.


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Australian Shares Climb to Record, Led by BHP Billiton on Higher Oil Price

(Bloomberg) -- Australian stocks rose, pushing the
S&P/ASX 200 Index to a record high. BHP Billiton Ltd. and Santos
Ltd. gained as oil prices traded near a 10-month high.

Rio Tinto Group advanced on a report it may bid for Alcan
Inc., while Zinifex Ltd. jumped on speculation of a combination
with Oxiana Ltd.


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European Stocks Advance, Led by BHP Billiton, Anglo American, Boliden

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks advanced for a second
day, led by mining companies after a strike in Chile lifted
copper prices. BHP Billiton Ltd. and Anglo American Plc rose.

``For copper, a fair amount of the recent price premium has
come through because of the strikes,'' said Stephen Pope, head of
equity research at Cantor Fitzgerald in London. ``The mining
story is good. We're seeing very strong economic numbers and
that's underpinning'' the shares.


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Asian Stocks Advance to a Record; Samsung Electronics, BHP Billiton Gain

(Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks rose for a sixth day,
lifting a regional benchmark to a record, on signs of increasing
demand for computer chips and metals.

Samsung Electronics Co. jumped after a brokerage report
raised speculation that prices for dynamic random access memory,
or DRAM, will climb, boosting profit. BHP Billiton Ltd. and Rio
Tinto Group advanced on higher metals prices.


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U.K. FTSE 100 Stock Index Declines, Led by National Grid; Pearson Gains

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks dropped, sending the
benchmark FTSE 100 Index lower for a fifth consecutive day.
National Grid Plc paced the retreat after Goldman, Sachs & Co.
recommended selling shares in the natural-gas pipeline operator.

BHP Billiton Ltd. led mining companies lower as copper
prices declined in Asia.


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U.S. Stock-Index Futures Gain on Acquisitions; Alcoa, Gilead Shares Rise

(Bloomberg) -- U.S. stock-index futures rose after a
report that BHP Billiton Ltd., the world's largest mining
company, may bid for Alcoa Inc., the No. 1 aluminum maker.

Shares of Alcoa jumped in Europe after the London-based
Times said BHP may consider a $40 billion takeover. Chicago Board
of Trade gained after shareholders of the second-largest futures
market were told they may get better offers from two suitors.


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BHP Billiton to take more action on climate change

(Reuters) - BHP Billiton Ltd./Plc., the world's biggest mining group, said on Monday it plans to step up action to help tackle levels of greenhouse gas emissions.

BHP said it would commit US$300 million over the next five years to support the development of low emissions technology and to encourage emissions abatement.


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Asian Stocks Gain on Yen, U.S. Economy; Toyota Rises, China Reaches Record

(Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks rose for a third day,
led by exporters, after the yen weakened and a report showed
inflation slowed in the U.S.

Samsung Electronics Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. led
technology companies and automakers higher. BHP Billiton Ltd.
climbed to a third straight record after metals prices advanced.
Five of the region's benchmarks jumped to records, with China's
CSI 300 Index adding 3.2 percent.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News