STOCKS NEWS US-Cisco may take on Microsoft in office software

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1322 ET 30June2009-Cisco may take on Microsoft in office software
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Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO.O) is considering offering Web-based alternatives
to Microsoft Corp's (MSFT.O) popular Office software as the networking giant
expands on the Internet.

Cisco Senior Vice President Doug Dennerline said on Tuesday his company may
develop a service that would allow business users to create documents they
could draft and share through its WebEx meeting and collaboration service.

For details, see [ID:nN30448273]

Shares of Cisco fell 2.3 percent to $18.54 while Dow component Microsoft
slid 0.4 percent to $23.78.

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
1301 ET 30June2009-Corn products falls after U.S. plant report
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Shares of Corn Products International (CPO.N) fell on Tuesday after the
U.S. government said farmers had planted their second-largest corn acreage
since 1946, shocking traders who thought that cold, wet spring weather in the
U.S. Midwest had shrunk corn sowings.

Shares of Corn Products fell 2.2 percent to $26.85.

Corn plantings rose 1 percent from last year to 87.035 million acres, the
U.S. Agriculture Department said, up from March estimates of 84.986 million
acres and above trade estimates that averaged 83.961 million acres.

"These numbers definitely are bearish on corn," said Mario Balletto, an
analyst with Citigroup in Chicago, noting crop conditions bode well for strong
yields.

The report pushed Chicago corn futures for July delivery CN9 down 8
percent to $3.43-3/4 per bushel.

For details, see [ID:nN30445883]

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
1153 ET 30June2009-History points to Q3 rise-Bespoke Investment
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With the S&P 500 poised to record a gain of more than 10 percent in the
second quarter, historical data points to another climb in the third quarter,
according to Bespoke Investment Group.

Since the introduction of the S&P 500 in 1927, there have been 44 quarters
out of 327 where the index has risen more than 10 percent. In the following
quarter, the index has shown an average gain of 3 percent and a median gain of
4.2 percent.

The quarter following a 10 percent rise has been positive 75 percent of the
time, with that number increasing to 83 percent of the time in the post-World
War Two period.

The average return for all quarters since 1927 has been 1.81 percent.

Reuters Messaging: Charles.mikolajczak.reuters.com@reuters.net
1145 ET 30June2009-Electronic Arts advances after upgrade
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Shares of Electronic Arts (ERTS.O) rallied on Tuesday after Bank of
America-Merrill Lynch upgraded the stock to "buy" from "neutral," seeing upside
to consensus estimates in the video game publisher's first and second
quarters.

"We are $100 million above consensus in the first and second quarters and
our bias is that Street estimates move higher for fiscal 2010 and 2011 years
over next 90 days, as key 'Active' and 'Sims' titles should have catalog and
sequel strength," the brokerage wrote.

The company is likely tracking at or above their early fiscal 2010 internal
plan, the firm added.

For details, see [ID:nBNG498753]

Shares rose 5 percent to $21.85.

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
1138 ET 30June2009-Treasury sets wide scope for consumer agency
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The U.S. Treasury on Tuesday sent Congress proposed legislation to create a
new regulatory agency with sweeping powers to write and enforce tough new
consumer protection rules for banks and other financial institutions.

The legislative language fleshes out plans for widespread changes to U.S.
financial regulations the Obama administration released on June 17.

The proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency aims to protect Americans
from abusive practices widely employed during the recent housing and credit
boom, such as deceptive and undocumented mortgage lending, poor loan
disclosures, and unfair interest rate increases and "fee traps" on credit
cards. For details, see [ID:nN30437901]

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net

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