Continue reading Russia cuts off all natural gas to Ukraine; Europe shortages may spread

Russia cuts off all natural gas to Ukraine; Europe shortages may spread originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Russian oil giant Gazprom searches for bailout money

Russian oil giant Gazprom searches for bailout money originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Credit Suisse downgraded Devon Energy (NYSE:DVN) and Forest Oil (NYSE:FST) to Neutral from Outperform following a reduction in the firm's 2008 natural gas outlook.
  
• Jefferies downgraded shares of GSI Commerce (NASDAQ:GSIC) to Hold from Buy as they have become more cautious on margins given the company's increasingly heavy online discounting through this holiday season.
  
• Gazprom Neft (OTC:GZPFY) was downgraded to Sell from Hold at Deutsche Bank on valuation, as they believe the recent rally is not supported by fundamentals.

• Banc of America downgraded Marshall & Ilsley (NYSE:MI) to Neutral from Buy.
  
• Goldman downgraded Murphy Oil (NYSE:MUR) to Neutral from Buy.
  
• Mettler-Toledo (NYSE:MTD) was downgraded to Neutral from Outperform at Baird.

Analyst downgrades: Oil and gas explorers, GSIC and GZPFY originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 14 Dec 2007 10:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• In an effort to stem the flow of weaponry into Iraq, the Pentagon is planning to build its first base near the Iraq-Iran border, reported the Wall Street Journal (subscription required).
• Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. is expected to make concessions with the investment banks putting together $24B in debt for its purchase of First Data Corporation (NYSE: FDC), something it had previously been unwilling to do, reported the Wall Street Journal.
• The Bush administration wants to limit the role of Fannie Mae (NYSE: FNM) and Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE) in the home mortgage crisis, but a number of Democrats, led by New York Senator Schumer, want to increase the authority of both firms by loosening growth constraints, and increase the size of mortgages they can buy in high cost areas, reported the Wall Street Journal.
• While the Nasdaq Stock Market Inc (NASDAQ: NDAQ) said it extended the deadline earlier this week, the "self-imposed deadline" for an LSE bid passed without a single firm bid, reported the Financial Times (subscription required).

• The U.K. Times reported that Russian state-controlled energy company Gazprom (OTC: GZPFY) considered making a rival $5B offer for business news company Dow Jones and Company Inc (NYSE: DJ), according to a source.
• The New York Times reported that after three separate recalls of Mattel Inc (NYSE: MAT) toys, Disney (NYSE: DIS) said it would begin testing toys featuring Disney characters, including ones already on store shelves.

Newspaper wrap-up: KKR to make concessions for First Data purchase originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 10 Sep 2007 09:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Mohamed Abdulmohsin Al Kharafi & Sons WLL, a Kuwaiti-based firm led by the Al Kharafi family, recently bought 1.25 million shares of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc (NYSE: KKD) and now owns 7.37, or 11.4% of Krispy Kreme, according to Barron's Online's "Inside Scoop" section.
• The board of Dow Jones & Company Inc (NYSE: DJ) is taking over talks on the company's future, reported the Wall Street Journal, which added in a different article that Brad Greenspan, the former CEO of MySpace says he will seek a non-controlling stake in Dow Jones through a $60-per-share Dutch auction.
• The Wall Street Journal reported that the London Exchange is discussing a possible merger with Italian stock exchange operator Borsa Italiana.

• The Telegraph reported that state-run Russian gas company Gazprom (OTC: OGZPY) wants to nix an Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM)-led project to supply Russian gas to China.
• The Telegraph also reported that Vodafone Group plc (NYSE:VOD) will have to pay about $900 million to avoid having its stake in Verizon Wireless reduced by 1%, as joint venture partner Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE: VZ) has the right to increase its share to 56% from 55% if Vodafone does not pay the additional money.

Newspaper wrap-up 6-21-07: More Dow Jones headlines originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 21 Jun 2007 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reported that Saudi Arabia is cutting oil output by an additional 158,000 barrels a day, part of a broader campaign by OPEC to shrink inventories and shore up prices.
• Also in the Journal, Delta Air Lines (OTC: DALRQ) said that if it defeats U.S. Airways Group Inc's (NYSE: LCC) hostile takeover it won't rule out possibly merging with another airline.
• The Financial Times Deutschland (subscription required) reported that Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) is in talks with Gazprom over a joint development.

• The Economic Times noted that Standard & Poor's raised India's debt rating to investment grade for the first time in 14 years on the strength of record growth and foreign exchange reserves.
• The New York Times wrote that Sony Corporation (NYSE: SNE) profits fell on losses for PlayStation 3 as the company faulted a strategic decision to set the price of PS 3 below the cost of production as a way to bolster market share.
  
• The Investor's Business Daily's "New Issue America" column highlighted Mellanox Technologies, a tech startup that is expected to come public the week of February 5 with an offering price of $12-$14.

Newspaper wrap-up 1-30-07: Sony blames PS3 for profit shortfall originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 30 Jan 2007 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.