Hedge funds pull Manhattan rents to $200/sq ft

(Reuters) - While hedge funds are not numerous compared with the
overall Manhattan tenancy, their influence on rental rates has
been breathtaking, several brokers said.




"They are the drivers of where market rents are going,"
Alex Chudnoff, Cushman & Wakefield executive director, said.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Japanese Five-Year Govrenment Notes May Fall Before Central Bank Meeting

(Bloomberg) -- Japan's government notes may decline
for a fourth day on concern investors will avoid buying five-
year debt sold at an auction today before a central bank
decision on interest rates later this week.

Demand for bonds may weaken on speculation some Bank of
Japan policy makers will vote against keeping borrowing costs
unchanged on July 12, paving the way for a rate increase next
month. Five-year yields yesterday climbed to the highest in more
than three weeks after a report showed machinery orders rose.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Japan's Commodity Stocks May Fall; Kawasaki Heavy, Advantest May Advance

(Bloomberg) -- Japanese commodity-related shares may
decline after the price of crude oil fell in New York and Alcoa
Inc., the world's second-biggest aluminum producer, reported a
drop in its second-quarter profit.

Limiting declines, chip-related shares such as Advantest
Corp. may gain after brokerages in the U.S. said Intel Corp. may
report second-quarter sales at the high-end of the company's own
forecast.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

UPDATE 3-CME buy of CBOT easily approved by shareholders

(Reuters) - CHICAGO, July 9 - Shareholders of Chicago
Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc and CBOT Holdings Inc
voted on Monday to merge the two largest U.S. futures
exchanges under one roof.




After an almost 9-month gestation period, the votes
delivered one huge, almost $12 billion baby.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Lear accepts sweetened Icahn bid, Pzena not swayed

(Reuters) - Icahn, Lear's biggest shareholder, raised his offer to $37.25 per share from a previous $36 that proxy advisory firms and several shareholders called too low. Just weeks ago, Icahn stood firm against raising the offer.




The bump up was not enough to sway Richard Pzena, head of Pzena Investment Management LLC, a firm that has led opposition to the Icahn bid, and plans to vote against the new offer from Icahn's American Real Estate Partners LP .


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Citigroup CEO sees no end soon to buyout boom--FT

(Reuters) - He denied Citigroup was pulling back, the newspaper said.




"When the music stops, in terms of liquidity, things will
be complicated," he said. "But as long as the music is playing,
you've got to get up and dance. We're still dancing."


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

UPDATE 2-Ex-North Fork CEO Kanas steps down at Capital One

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, July 9 - Capital One Financial Corp.
, the credit card and banking company, said on Monday
longtime North Fork Bancorp Inc. chief executive John Adam
Kanas will step down as head of banking operations and resign
from its board.




The McLean, Virginia-based company will take a $27 million
second-quarter charge to speed up the vesting of equity awards
to Kanas and John Bohlsen, a former North Fork vice chairman
who is stepping down as head of commercial banking.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News