UPDATE 1-BG Group underlying profit down 20 pct as gas dips

(Reuters) - BG said in a statement that its first-quarter net profit excluding non-operating items was 448 million pounds, slightly ahead of expectations.

A Reuters poll of 10 analysts on Thursday gave an average forecast of 433 million pounds for BG's net profit, excluding non-operational items such as asset sales, down from 563 million pounds last year.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Treasuries Little Changed; U.S. Data May Show Fewer Jobs Created in April

(Bloomberg) -- U.S. Treasuries were little changed before a report today that may show the economy created fewer jobs last month.

The Labor Department may say payrolls increased by 100,000, lower than 180,000 jobs created in March, according to a survey by Bloomberg News. The last two reports for February and March were stronger than economists' forecast and caused the two largest increases in 10-year note yields this year.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Morgan Stanley, BlueOrchard in microfinance ABS

(Reuters) - Investment bank Morgan Stanley and BlueOrchard Finance are launching a $108 million bond backed by loans to microfinance institutions that is the first to be rated by a major rating agency.

Microfinance hit the headlines last year when Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh, who conceived the concept, and the Grameen Bank he founded won the Nobel Peace Prize.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Iusacell, Mexichem, Vale do Rio Doce: Latin American Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following stocks may make significant gains or losses in Brazil and Mexico today. Symbols are in parentheses after the company name, and stock prices are from the last session. In Brazil, preferred shares are the most commonly traded class of stock.

Brazil


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Total Profit Declines 11 Percent Because of Weak Dollar, Lower Oil Prices

(Bloomberg) -- Total SA, Europe's third-largest oil company, reported an 11 percent drop in first-quarter profit because of a weaker dollar and lower energy prices.

Net income, excluding Total's Sanofi-Aventis SA stake, fell to 3.0 billion euros ($4.14 billion) from 3.38 billion euros a year earlier. That's higher than the median estimate for earnings of 2.86 billion euros from 10 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

Kia Motors Reports Third Straight Loss as Sorento Sales Drop, Won Rises

(Bloomberg) -- Kia Motors Corp., an affiliate of South Korea's biggest automaker, reported an unexpected third straight loss because of a cut in Sorento sport-utility vehicle production and a stronger won.

The net loss was 30.6 billion won ($33 million) in the three months ended March 31, compared with a 38.4 billion won profit a year earlier, the Seoul-based automaker said in a statement today. That was less than the median estimate of a 13 billion won profit in a Bloomberg News survey of seven analysts. Sales dropped 12 percent to 3.85 trillion won.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

Gold, Silver Little Changed in Asia After Rising Amid Peru Supply Concerns

(Bloomberg) -- Gold and silver were little changed after climbing from one-month lows amid concern a national mining strike in Peru may disrupt supplies.

Gold rose for the first day in four yesterday as talks continued between Peru's government and miners' unions, which went on strike on April 30. Peru is the world's largest producer of silver and the fifth-largest gold producer.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News