S.African gold output falls 8.2 pct yr/yr in April

(Reuters) - South African gold output fell 8.2 percent in volume terms while overall minerals production increased 0.6 percent in April compared with the same month the previous year, official data showed on Thursday.

Production of non-gold minerals rose by 2.1 percent in April, Statistics South Africa added.


Read more at Reuters Africa

FTSE 100 Index Gains, Led by Vodafone; BHP Billiton, DSG Shares Increase

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks rose, led by Vodafone
Group Plc, the world's largest mobile-phone company. An
investor group called on the company to pay as much as 38
billion pounds ($76 billion) to shareholders.

BHP Billiton paced an increase in shares of mining
companies. FKI Plc declined.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Hodges Fund Delivers Top Returns With Burlington Northern, Union Pacific

(Bloomberg) -- The Hodges Fund, run by the father-
and-son team of Don and Craig Hodges, outperformed all but one
competitor in the past five years by buying unloved stocks,
especially railroads.

The $700 million fund's strategy is winning endorsements
from billionaire investors including Warren Buffett and Carl
Icahn. Both purchased shares of rail companies in the past six
months.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Estonian May Inflation Rate Rises, Moving Nation Further From Euro Goal

(Bloomberg) -- Estonia's inflation rate rose in May,
driven by fuel and housing costs, moving the Baltic state further
from its goal of adopting the euro.

The annual inflation rate increased to 5.7 percent from 5.5
percent in April, the statistics office based in the capital
Tallinn said on its Web site today. Prices rose a monthly 0.7
percent, with transport costs rising 2.5 percent from April.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

United Retail May same-store sales rise 4 pct

(Reuters) - United Retail is a specialty retailer of large-size women's
clothing, footwear and accessories.




Read more at Reuters.com Market News

European shares snap 3-day losing run, Vodafone up

(Reuters) - By 0715 GMT, the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index was up 0.5 percent at 1,594.1 after falling 1.6 percent in the previous session when it closed at its lowest since May 17. It fell as much as 2.6 percent this week but is still up 7 percent so far this year.




"There's a strong base effect due to oil prices and probably inflation rates will start to diminish in the second half of this year," said Thierry Lacraz, a strategist at Pictet & Cie.


Read more at Reuters.com Hot Stocks News

Clear Channel seeks wider French market share

(Reuters) - JCDecaux has a 57 percent market share.




"We want to reach a 50-50 situation and this target is
reachable within five years," Hubert Janvier said.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News