UPDATE 1-India's Pantaloon to add stores, sees group rev $2bln

(Reuters) - MUMBAI, Aug 6 - Pantaloon Retail India Ltd., the
country's top listed retailer, is launching small and large
stores and the group is exploring deals with foreign partners
to take on growing competition, its chief executive said on
Monday.




The group is looking at joint venture opportunities with
foreign firms in the business-to-business segment, similar to
the one it has with U.S. office supplies retailer Staples Inc.
, Kishore Biyani told Reuters.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Arrow Energy Signs Agreements to Develop Coal Seam Gas Ventures in China

(Bloomberg) -- Arrow Energy NL, an Australian
producer of gas from coal seams, signed two venture agreements
with companies in China's Liaoning province as it seeks to start
production of the fuel in the Asian nation.

The accords with Shenyang Gas Co. and Liaohe Petroleum
Development Co., a unit of China National Petroleum Corp., follow
similar agreements signed over the past weeks, Brisbane-based
Arrow said today in a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange.
Arrow now has seven projects in three geographic regions in the
Asian nation, it said.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

IFC Plans Record India Lending as Rising Rates Lure Power, Oil Companies

(Bloomberg) -- The World Bank arm that invests in
companies said funding for India, its biggest recipient, will
surpass last fiscal year's record $1 billion as interest rates
at a five-year high deter companies from borrowing at home.

The International Finance Corp. will commit $500 million of
the funds in the year ended June 30 to infrastructure, focusing
on oil, transportation, power and gas projects, said Anita
George, chief investment officer of the World Bank division that
lends to companies in emerging markets.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

U.K. Pound May Fall as Traders Trim Bets on Further Interest-Rate Increase

(Bloomberg) -- The U.K. pound may fall as investors
lower expectations the Bank of England will raise interest rates
again this year.

Interest-rate futures trading shows investors have scaled
back their forecasts for how high the U.K. central bank will lift
rates on concern borrowing costs at a six-year high of 5.75
percent will begin to slow economic expansion. A report today may
show industrial production growth slowed in June.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

UPDATE 1-Barclays launches $89 bln ABN takeover offer

(Reuters) - The offer period will run from Aug. 7 until Oct. 4,
Barclays said in an offer memorandum published in Dutch
newspapers on Monday.




At current share prices and foreign exchange rates, the
Barclays offer is worth about 34.54 euros per share of ABN.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Gold Little Changed in Asia as Dollar Weakness Boosts Appeal; Silver Rises

(Bloomberg) -- Gold in Asia was little changed near a
one-week high, supported by investors demand for the precious
metal as an alternative asset after the dollar weakened on signs
the U.S. economy might slow. Silver rose.

Gold usually moves in the opposite direction to the dollar,
which fell to a four-month low against the Japanese yen and also
traded near a record low against the euro today. Speculation that
a slowing U.S. economy may keep the Federal Reserve from raising
interest rates also weakened the dollar and boosted the appeal of
the precious metal as alternative investment.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

UPDATE 3-Bear president resigns; casualty of credit crisis

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, Aug 5 - Bear Stearns Cos
co-President and co-Chief Operating Officer Warren Spector
resigned on Sunday, a casualty of the credit risk crisis at the
investment bank.




Bear Stearns said effective immediately, Alan Schwartz was
the company's sole president.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News