Bouygues, Alstom, EADS Rise on Sarkozy's Industrial Policy Expectations

(Bloomberg) -- Shares of Bouygues SA, Alstom SA and European Aeronautic, Defence & Space Co. soared on expectations the companies would be at the center of an industrial shake-up planned by French President-elect Nicolas Sarkozy.

Bouygues, the world's second-largest construction company, rose as much as 3.4 percent in Paris, while Alstom, the world's third-biggest builder of power stations, rose as much as 4.9 percent. EADS, Airbus SAS's parent, rose 2.02 percent.


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Partner Communications Q1 profit rises 22 pct

(Reuters) - Revenue increased 6.9 percent to 1.42 billion shekels.




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European Energy Stocks Decline; ABN Amro Retreats, Reed Elsevier Advances

(Bloomberg) -- European energy stocks declined, led by Royal Dutch Shell NV and Total SA, as oil prices traded near a two-week low.

ABN Amro Holding NV fell after rejecting an offer from a Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc-led group for its LaSalle Bank unit. Reed Elsevier NA led media companies higher following the sale of its Harcourt businesses to Pearson Plc for $950 billion.


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Turkey Sells Halkbank Stake for $1.9 Billion as Investors Brave Politics

(Bloomberg) -- Turkey raised $1.9 billion, matching its biggest-ever initial public offering, by selling shares in state- run lender Turkiye Halk Bankasi AS, a sign of investor confidence after last week's dispute between the military and government.

The government sold shares in the Ankara-based bank at 8 liras apiece, the upper limit of the offer range, NTV television reported today. Investors bid for 25 percent of Halkbank last week even after the government called early elections.


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Oil Is Little Changed After Falling on U.S. Stocks, Restarting Refineries

(Bloomberg) -- Crude oil was little changed, after falling 6.8 percent last week because of ample U.S. supplies and signs gasoline output is rising as refiners return plants from maintenance.

Inventories in the world's largest oil consumer rose to 335.6 million barrels on April 27, 4.8 percent more than the five-year average for the period, the Energy Department said on May 2. Gasoline fell 1.9 percent last week as rising production and plant restarts by refiners including Exxon Mobil Corp. and Citgo Petroleum Corp. eased summer supply concerns.


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Microsoft, Courting Yahoo, May Have Lost $2 Billion to Google in Ad Fight

(Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer interrupted a Hawaiian vacation to call his top Internet ad man, Yusuf Mehdi, on April 16 after Google Inc. announced its $3.1 billion purchase of DoubleClick Inc.

Mehdi says Ballmer offered money, personnel, acquisitions or whatever he needs to fight the threat that buying Web advertising company DoubleClick will advance Google's dominance of the $28.8 billion market.


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Bernanke May Be Too Slow on the Trigger When Weak Economy Needs Rate Cut

(Bloomberg) -- Ben S. Bernanke may be too slow on the trigger.

That's the conclusion some economists are drawing as the Federal Reserve chairman and fellow policy makers prepare for their May 9 meeting, likely to be the seventh in a row without a change in interest rates.


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