European Stocks Fall on Takeover Concern; Credit Suisse, Axa, Atos Retreat

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks fell the most in five
months on concern mergers and acquisitions will diminish as the
financing of takeovers becomes more difficult.

Credit Suisse Group and Axa SA led a drop by financial
companies. Atos Origin SA and Iberia Lineas Aereas de Espana SA,
which have been in sale talks with buyout groups, also declined.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

U.S. Stocks Plunge on Credit Concerns; Exxon, Homebuilders, Banks Retreat

(Bloomberg) -- U.S. stocks plunged the most in five
months after Exxon Mobil Corp. reported earnings that missed
analysts' estimates and higher financing costs threatened to
spur debt defaults and slow takeovers.

Exxon Mobil, the world's biggest company by market value,
posted its steepest decline in five years after it said
production decreased, while homebuilders D.R. Horton Inc. and
Beazer Homes USA Inc. retreated after reporting losses.
Citigroup Inc., Bank of America Corp. and JPMorgan Chase & Co.,
the largest U.S. banks, dragged a gauge of financial shares to a
10-month low.


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Rand extends losses vs dollar, bonds fall

(Reuters) - South Africa's rand extended its losses versus the dollar on Thursday while government bonds also weakened after release of producer inflation data pointing to higher interest rates.

At 1315 GMT, the rand stood at 7.0220 versus the dollar, after reaching 7.0244 earlier, extending its losses from New York's Wednesday close to over two percent.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Wall St tumbles on oil, housing, credit woes

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks tumbled on Thursday as a surge in oil prices, concern about the housing slump and a worsening climate for financing takeovers cut investors' appetite for risk in a global equities sell-off.

News of a disappointing quarterly profit from Exxon Mobil Corp. weighed on the energy sector and sent Exxon shares down more than 3 percent.


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Gold slips to one-week low on profit-taking

(Reuters) - Gold slipped to a one-week low on Thursday as investors took profits from its 11-week highs, but analysts said firmer oil prices and weaker dollar outlook might support the metal.

Spot gold rose as high as $676.60 an ounce before falling to $666.40. It was quoted at $670.25/670.85 by 1431 GMT, against $674.40/675.20 late in New York on Wednesday when it dropped about 1.5 percent.


Read more at Reuters Africa

S.Africa stocks hit 4-week low amid global sell-off

(Reuters) - South African stocks slid to an almost four-week closing low on Thursday as softer metal prices hit mining stocks and global jitters about the U.S. housing market and high oil prices hurt broader sentiment.

The Johannesburg Top-40 index of blue-chip stocks fell 1.85 percent to 25,844.39 points -- its lowest closing level since June 29. The Johannesburg All-share index slid 1.78 percent to 28,585.84 points.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Brooks Automation says indictment filed against former CEO

(Reuters) - The company said it is cooperating with both the agencies
and that it has not been charged in either the SEC complaint or
the indictment. Therrien retired as CEO of Brooks in 2004.





Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News