European Bank Stocks Advance, Led By ABN Amro; Saipem, Technip Decline

(Bloomberg) -- European bank stocks rose, led by ABN
Amro Holding NV after Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc sweetened
its 71.1 billion-euro ($98.1 billion) offer for the Dutch lender.

ABN Amro jumped the most in three months. Oil-services
companies paced declines in energy shares after UBS AG cut its
recommendations on Saipem SpA and Technip SA following their
``strong performance.'' BT Group Plc, the U.K.'s largest phone
company, and drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline Plc climbed after
brokerages lifted their recommendations on the shares.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European Bank Stocks Advance, Paed by ABN Amro; Saipem, Technip Decline

(Bloomberg) -- European bank stocks rose, led by ABN
Amro Holding NV after Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc sweetened
its 71.1 billion-euro ($98.1 billion) offer for the Dutch lender.

ABN Amro jumped the most in three months. Oil-services
companies paced declines in energy shares after UBS AG cut its
recommendations on Saipem SpA and Technip SA following their
``strong performance.'' BT Group Plc, the U.K.'s largest phone
company, and drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline Plc advanced after
brokerages lifted their recommendations on the shares.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

European Stocks Advance, Led by ABN Amro, Barclays, BT Group, Glaxo

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks rose for a third day,
led by ABN Amro Holding NV after Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc
sweetened its 71.1 billion-euro ($98.1 billion) offer for the
Dutch lender, seeking to trump Barclays Plc.

ABN Amro jumped the most in three months. Barclays also
climbed. BT Group Plc, the U.K.'s largest phone company, and
drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline Plc rose after brokerages lifted their
recommendations on the shares.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

BT Chief Verwaayen Says `Absolutely Confident' Sales Will Beat Forecasts

(Bloomberg) -- BT Group Plc Chief Executive Officer
Ben Verwaayen said most analysts are too pessimistic about sales
growth at the U.K.'s largest phone company.

``We are absolutely confident that we will do better than
most people think,'' Verwaayen, 55, said in an interview at BT's
London headquarters. He declined to give a financial forecast.
Sales will rise 2.5 percent in fiscal 2008, based on the average
of 25 analyst forecasts compiled by Bloomberg.


Read more at Bloomberg Exclusive News

JGB futures rise on Fukui comments, Treasury rally

(Reuters) - September futures rose 0.40 point on the day to
131.70, moving away from a seven-year low of 130.76 hit last
week.




The benchmark 10-year yield dropped 5 basis
points to 1.885 percent, moving away from an 11-month high of
1.985 percent hit last week.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News