STOCKS NEWS US-Investor confidence strongest in a year: State St

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1023 ET 30June2009-Investor confidence strongest in a year: State St
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Confidence among institutional investors rose for the sixth month in a row
in June, hitting the highest level in a year, U.S. financial services firm
State Street said on Tuesday.

The global State Street Investor Confidence Index hit 115.5 this month from
an upwardly revised 108.5 last month.

"Notwithstanding some concerns around the long-run sustainability of fiscal
positions and the impact of quantitative easing on inflation, institutional
investors continue to endorse the long-run outlook," said Ken Froot,
co-developer of the index.

For details, see [ID:nLU722885]

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
1017 ET 30June2009-Cowen upgrades Amazon to "outperform"
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Cowen and Co on Tuesday upgraded Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) to "outperform"
from "neutral," expecting the online retailer to increase market share in the
United States.

"In our view, Amazon is a next-generation Wal-Mart (WMT.N), and we believe
the company's focus on lower prices and a superior shopping experience versus
online and offline competitors will result in substantial share gains over
time," the firm wrote to clients.

For details, see [ID:nBNG496542]

Shares of Amazon rose 0.8 percent to $83.65.

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
1009 ET 30June2009-Prospect Capital starts offering, stock falls
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Shares of Prospect Capital Corp (PSEC.O) fell on Tuesday, dropping after
the company began a public offering of 4 million shares.

The offering, its third in as many months, will have a 30-day option for
underwriters to purchase up to an additional 600,000 shares to cover
over-allotments, the business development company said.

For details, see [ID:nBNG491809]

The stock slid 6.1 percent to $9.32.

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
1005 ET 30June2009-Deere: more workers than expected took buyout
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Deere & Co (DE.N) on Tuesday said that about 800 employees, more than had
been expected, took a buyout from the company, raising the amount of the charge
associated with the departures.

The Moline, Illinois-based company now expects to record a pretax charge of
$100 million, primarily in its fourth fiscal quarter, which ends in October.
With it announced the planned job cuts in April, it forecast that 200 salaried
employees would leave, leading to a $25 million pretax charge. In May, when it
reported second fiscal quarter earnings, Deere raised that forecast amount to
$50 million.

For details, see [ID:nN30431947]

Shares fell 2 percent to $41.31.

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
1001 ET 30June2009-Consumer confidence slides in June: Conf Board
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U.S. consumer confidence fell in June after two straight months of gains.

The Conference Board, an industry group, said on Tuesday its index of
consumer attitudes dropped to 49.3 from 54.8 in May. The Present Situation
Index slid to 24.8 from 29.7.

For details, see [ID:nN30263841]

Reuters Messaging: ryan.vlastelica.reuters.com@reuters.net
0954 ET 30June2009-Midwest business activity less weak in June
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Business activity in the U.S. Midwest contracted again in June but at a
slightly less severe rate than expected, a report showed on Tuesday.

The Institute for Supply Management-Chicago business barometer rose to 39.3
from 34.9 in May.

Economists had forecast the index at 39.0. A reading below 50 indicates
contraction in the regional economy.

For details, see [ID:nN3078228]

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