STOCKS NEWS US-Markets extend gains on strength in energy
Stocks on the move [HOT-RTRS]
Real-time Equity news [U][E][RESF/US]
For U.S. stock market report double-click [.N] 1100 ET 29June2009-Markets extend gains on strength in energy ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Major U.S. indices extended their gains on Monday as a rise in the price of crude oil boosted energy shares.
For details, see [ID:nN29382684]
The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI rose 1 percent to 8,520.46 while the S&P 500 .SPX gained 0.8 percent to 926.06 and the Nasdaq .IXIC was up 0.3 percent to 1,843.76.
Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net 1054 ET 29June2009-Blackstone raises $4.3 bln for property fund ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Private equity firm Blackstone Group (BX.N) on Monday said it had raised
3.1 billion euros, or $4.3 billion, for a fund to invest in property throughout
Europe, as it anticipates the sector's recovery.
The Blackstone Real Estate Partners Europe III fund, which has reached its final close, had initially sought to raise 2.5 billion euros, the company said in a statement.
"(The fund) is well positioned to take advantage of the inevitable recapitalization of the property sector," Chad Pike, co-head of Blackstone Real Estate, said.
For details, see [ID:nLT727855]
Shares of Blackstone rose 0.3 percent to $10.91.
Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net 1037 ET 29June2009-Wachovia upgrades Cognizant to market perform ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shares of Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp (CTSH.O) rose on Monday after
Wachovia upgraded the stock to "market perform" from "underperform."
The firm cited better revenue growth for the information technology services company in 2009 compared to rivals Infosys Technologies Ltd (INFY.BO) and Wipro Ltd (WIT.N).
"We look for topline growth to be about 10 percent, maybe a touch higher, for Cognizant in 2009, while we expect slightly negative comparisons during the same period for Infosys and Wipro," the firm wrote.
For details, see [ID:nBNG269019]
Shares of Cognizant rose 1.7 percent to $27.06.
Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net 1028 ET 29June2009-Agrium says CF won't engage in talks ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fertilizer maker Agrium Inc (AGU.N) (AGU.TO) on Monday said that CF Industries Inc (CF.N) refused to meet with it even after a majority of CF's shareholders tendered their shares in its hostile bid for the U.S. rival.
About 62 percent of the total outstanding shares were tendered to Agrium as of Agrium's June 22 deadline, which it extended to July 22.
CF spokesman Charles Nekvasil said nothing had changed. "We have indicated that given that situation we are willing to listen but nothing new is on the table," he said.
For details, see [ID:nN29376831]
Shares of CF fell 0.3 percent to $75.98 while U.S.-listed shares of Agrium gained 2.4 percent to $41.35.
Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net 1022 ET 29June2009-TRW Auto surges after upgrade ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRW Automotive Holdings Corp (TRW.N) shares jumped on Monday after JPMorgan
boosted its rating on the stock, citing its recent credit facility amendment.
[ID:nN26319078]
The firm boosted its rating on the auto parts supplier to "overweight" from "neutral" and said the recent amendment resulted in sizable covenant ratio headroom and no reduction to large revolver capacity, making it a clear survivor in the beleaguered industry.
JPMorgan also noted TRW now compares favorably to its highly leveraged peer group and ranked it as the least likely bankruptcy risk of the six auto parts supplier stocks the firm covers currently trading in the single-digit range.
Shares surged more than 16 percent to $10.47 while the Dow Jones U.S. AutoParts index .DJTATO eased back 0.2 percent to 242.66.
Reuters Messaging:rm://Charles.mikolajczak.reuters.com@reuters.net
© Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved



