UST Option Trading Surges on Speculation Altria Will Buy Tobacco Producer

(Bloomberg) -- Trading in options to buy UST Inc.
shares jumped to the highest since December on speculation the
largest U.S. smokeless tobacco producer may be acquired by Altria
Group Inc., parent of the world's largest cigarette maker.

The number of call-option contracts traded in UST rose to
7,317, or 20 times the average during the prior 20 trading
sessions. UST shares added 97 cents to $53.74 in 2:07 p.m. New
York Stock Exchange composite trading.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

U.S. Stocks Erase Gains; S&P 500 Declines for Fourth Time in Five Days

(Bloomberg) -- U.S. stocks declined and the
Standard & Poor's 500 Index slid for the fourth time in five
days, dragged down by energy shares after the price of oil fell.

The S&P 500 lost 1.29, or 0.1 percent, to 1496.45 as of
2:26 p.m. in New York. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added
10.48, or 0.1 percent, to 13,362.53, helped by rallies in Merck
& Co. and Altria Group Inc. The Nasdaq Composite Index was
little changed at 2577.11.


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US STOCKS-Indexes rise as U.S. bond yields retreat

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, June 13 - U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday
as a pullback in benchmark bond yields triggered a rebound in
interest-rate-sensitive shares including banks, utilities and
home builders.




Data signaling strength in U.S. consumer spending also
reassured investors, lifting shares of big manufacturers such
as plane maker Boeing Co. and those of consumer-oriented
companies such as Altria Group .


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News