Euro Falls After German Investor Confidence Unexpectedly Declines

(Bloomberg) -- The euro extended losses against the
yen and the dollar after a report today showed investor
confidence in Germany, Europe's largest economy, unexpectedly
declined.

The ZEW Center for European Economic Research in Mannheim,
Germany, said today its index of investor and analyst
expectations fell to 20.3 from 24 in May, which was below
economists' expectations for 29 in a Bloomberg News survey. The
single currency earlier touched a record against the yen and
reached its highest in more than a week versus the dollar on
speculation the European Central Bank will keep raising interest
rates.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

European Stocks Pare Gains After ZEW Survey; Tesco Declines on Sales

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks pared gains after a
report showed German investor confidence unexpectedly fell in
June. Tesco Plc dropped after Britain's largest supermarket
operator reported sales that missed analysts' estimates.

The Dow Jones Stoxx 600 Index added less than 0.1 percent to
397.97 as of 10:12 a.m. in London, after rising as much as 0.3
percent earlier. The Stoxx 50 increased 0.1 percent, while the
Euro Stoxx 50, a measure for the nations sharing the euro, gained
less than 0.1 percent.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Shanghai copper down 1.4 percent on faltering LME

(Reuters) - Shanghai copper closed down 1.4 percent on Tuesday as investors cashed in positions after London futures failed to sustain a rally above $7,600 a tonne in the previous session.

The most-active September copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange ended the day at 64,480 yuan a tonne, from 65,400 yuan on Monday.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Nigerian strike still on despite concessions

(Reuters) - Nigerian labour unions said a general strike in Africa's top oil producer will go ahead as planned on Wednesday despite concessions offered by the government.

In a meeting on Monday night, the government offered to take back half a 10 naira per litre (8 cents) increase in the fuel price, among other concessions to unions whose action threatens to halt oil shipments from the world's eighth largest exporter.


Read more at Reuters Africa

MAN AG's Truck Division Predicts Sales in Russia Will Triple This Year

(Bloomberg) -- MAN AG, Europe's third-largest
truckmaker, predicted that purchases from Russian customers will
triple this year as a booming economy increases transport
demand.

MAN plans to increase Russian sales to ``clearly more
than'' 4,000 trucks from 1,570 vehicles in 2006, Anton Weinmann,
the commercial-vehicles division chief, said yesterday in
written responses to questions from Bloomberg News.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index Rises, Paced by Rio Tinto, Capita Group; Tesco Falls

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks rose, led by Rio Tinto
Group. Capita Group Plc rallied as Citigroup Inc. recommended buying
shares in the operator of London's traffic congestion charge.

Tesco Plc tumbled the most in almost two years after the
nation's largest supermarket chain reported sales growth in the
first quarter that trailed analysts' estimates.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

UPDATE 1-Italy allows U.S. fund into bidding for Alitalia

(Reuters) - ROME, June 19 - Italy has allowed U.S. private equity firm MatlinPatterson to re-enter the auction for airline Alitalia after fears arose that one of the two final bidders may quit.



The firm was earlier in a consortium with fellow U.S. private equity firm TPG [TPG.UL], which pulled out of the auction last month citing difficulties with the conditions imposed.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News