AGL 40.00 No Change ▼ 0.00 (0%)
AIRLINK 129.00 Decreased By ▼ -0.53 (-0.41%)
BOP 6.76 Increased By ▲ 0.08 (1.2%)
CNERGY 4.50 Decreased By ▼ -0.13 (-2.81%)
DCL 8.70 Decreased By ▼ -0.24 (-2.68%)
DFML 41.00 Decreased By ▼ -0.69 (-1.66%)
DGKC 81.30 Decreased By ▼ -2.47 (-2.95%)
FCCL 32.68 Decreased By ▼ -0.09 (-0.27%)
FFBL 74.25 Decreased By ▼ -1.22 (-1.62%)
FFL 11.75 Increased By ▲ 0.28 (2.44%)
HUBC 110.03 Decreased By ▼ -0.52 (-0.47%)
HUMNL 13.80 Decreased By ▼ -0.76 (-5.22%)
KEL 5.29 Decreased By ▼ -0.10 (-1.86%)
KOSM 7.63 Decreased By ▼ -0.77 (-9.17%)
MLCF 38.35 Decreased By ▼ -1.44 (-3.62%)
NBP 63.70 Increased By ▲ 3.41 (5.66%)
OGDC 194.88 Decreased By ▼ -4.78 (-2.39%)
PAEL 25.75 Decreased By ▼ -0.90 (-3.38%)
PIBTL 7.37 Decreased By ▼ -0.29 (-3.79%)
PPL 155.74 Decreased By ▼ -2.18 (-1.38%)
PRL 25.70 Decreased By ▼ -1.03 (-3.85%)
PTC 17.56 Decreased By ▼ -0.90 (-4.88%)
SEARL 78.71 Decreased By ▼ -3.73 (-4.52%)
TELE 7.88 Decreased By ▼ -0.43 (-5.17%)
TOMCL 33.61 Decreased By ▼ -0.90 (-2.61%)
TPLP 8.41 Decreased By ▼ -0.65 (-7.17%)
TREET 16.26 Decreased By ▼ -1.21 (-6.93%)
TRG 58.60 Decreased By ▼ -2.72 (-4.44%)
UNITY 27.51 Increased By ▲ 0.08 (0.29%)
WTL 1.41 Increased By ▲ 0.03 (2.17%)
BR100 10,450 Increased By 43.4 (0.42%)
BR30 31,209 Decreased By -504.2 (-1.59%)
KSE100 97,798 Increased By 469.8 (0.48%)
KSE30 30,481 Increased By 288.3 (0.95%)
Print - 2004-06-03
CSCE sugar rallies to settle near 10-month high

CSCE sugar rallies to settle near 10-month high

CSCE raw sugar futures ended on Tuesday near a 10-month high on robust speculative fund buying, fears that rains in Brazil could hinder the harvest and livelier interest in the cash market, analysts said.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Soybeans up on speculative buying

Soybeans up on speculative buying

Chicago Board of Trade nearby soybean futures settled up the 50-cent daily limit on Tuesday on speculative buying and worries about this year's US crop following severe recent storms, traders said.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Tokyo rubber supported by supply concerns

Tokyo rubber supported by supply concerns

Tokyo rubber futures posted solid gains on Wednesday as wariness about physical supply shortages and a weaker yen induced steady technical buying in the longer end of the market, traders said.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
CBOT rice higher, commercials buy new-crop

CBOT rice higher, commercials buy new-crop

Chicago Board of Trade rough rice futures settled sharply higher on Tuesday on heavy commercial buying of new-crop contracts, brokers said.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Malaysian palm oil futures up in choppy trade

Malaysian palm oil futures up in choppy trade

Malaysian crude palm oil futures closed slightly higher on Wednesday after shuttling in a wide range as a rally in rival Chicago soyaoil was offset by worries over falling exports.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Kenyan inflation eases

Kenyan inflation eases

Kenyan month-on-month inflation rate fell to 4.7 percent in May from 7.6 percent in April due to lower transport costs although fuel and food costs rose, the CBS said on Wednesday.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Poland plans to grant two billion euros to coal industry

Poland plans to grant two billion euros to coal industry

The Polish government announced plans on Wednesday to grant its coal industry 9.5 billion zlotys (two billion euros) worth of aid between 2004 and 2010 and said it would press on with a restructuring plan.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Eurozone services PMI seen edging up to 54.6 in May

Eurozone services PMI seen edging up to 54.6 in May

Growth in the euro zone's services sector probably sped up in May, but only fractionally, given the lacklustre consumer demand and concerns over high oil prices, according to economists in a Reuters poll.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
JP Morgan adds Shanghai analysts in China push

JP Morgan adds Shanghai analysts in China push

J.P. Morgan said on Wednesday it is adding five stock analysts in Shanghai and hiring up to ten more this year as the US investment bank makes a push into China's increasingly important, if risky, markets.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
JP Morgan adds Shanghai analysts in China push

JP Morgan adds Shanghai analysts in China push

J.P. Morgan said on Wednesday it is adding five stock analysts in Shanghai and hiring up to ten more this year as the US investment bank makes a push into China's increasingly important, if risky, markets.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Cable & Wireless halts UK business decline

Cable & Wireless halts UK business decline

Cable & Wireless has managed to halt a decline in sales in its core UK business for the first time in three years and reinstated its dividend, the UK telecoms firm said on Wednesday as its recovers from an industry slump.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Marchionne to focus on Fiat fix, cuts Swiss ties

Marchionne to focus on Fiat fix, cuts Swiss ties

Sergio Marchionne pledged on Wednesday to fix the fortunes of Fiat, Italy's biggest industrial group, and said he would resign as chairman of Swiss chemicals group Lonza to concentrate on the task.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Australian growth slows as exports drag on economy

Australian growth slows as exports drag on economy

Australia's economic expansion slowed sharply in the first quarter as sluggish exports and a cooling housing market put a brake on the rampant growth seen in the latter half of 2003.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Arcelor expects 2004 results in line with last year

Arcelor expects 2004 results in line with last year

Steel company Arcelor, the world's largest steel maker, expects 2004 profits to be similar to last year's results, the company's Vice President Alain Davezac said on Wednesday.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Arcelor expects 2004 results in line with last year

Arcelor expects 2004 results in line with last year

Steel company Arcelor, the world's largest steel maker, expects 2004 profits to be similar to last year's results, the company's Vice President Alain Davezac said on Wednesday.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Shortages haunt Taiwan tech sector's boom

Shortages haunt Taiwan tech sector's boom

As Taiwan's electronics industry enjoys its biggest boom since 2000, shortages of everything from display panels to electricity threaten to curb growth and bite into profit margins.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Russia blocks EU meat in certification row

Russia blocks EU meat in certification row

Russia said on Wednesday it had blocked meat imports from the European Union in a dispute over veterinary certificates, leaving beef, pork and poultry piling up at ports and threatening millions of dollars in trade.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
EU urges oil producers to ensure 'adequate' supply

EU urges oil producers to ensure 'adequate' supply

European Union finance ministers appealed to oil-producing countries Wednesday to provide an "adequate" supply of crude in order that oil prices remain consistent with durable growth.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Sony to halt new Clie sales outside of Japan

Sony to halt new Clie sales outside of Japan

Sony Corp said it will stop selling new handheld digital assistants outside of Japan this year, exiting a declining market and striking a blow to PalmSource Inc, whose software powers the devices.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
EU backs savings tax deals but start date unclear

EU backs savings tax deals but start date unclear

European Union finance ministers gave the thumbs-up on Wednesday to a hard-fought plan to tax millions of euros of savings hidden abroad, but postponed a final decision on the start date to later this month.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
India's communists embrace commerce: businessmen

India's communists embrace commerce: businessmen

India's communists have embraced business and market fears they would pull the country's new government sharply to the left are overblown, business leaders in communist-run West Bengal state said.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Disney to launch three Indian TV channels

Disney to launch three Indian TV channels

US media giant Walt Disney Co plans to launch three television channels in India in the next 12 months and is in talks with a potential local partner, a German newspaper reported on Wednesday.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
India cuts foreign equity cap in airport sale

India cuts foreign equity cap in airport sale

India issued new guidelines for the privatisation of its two biggest airports on Wednesday which ensured majority control for domestic firms and said it aimed to complete the process within 10 months.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Eurozone producer prices rise

Eurozone producer prices rise

Factory gate prices in the eurozone rose by 0.4 percent in April from March, propelled by higher costs for energy and intermediate goods, the European Union's statistics office said on Wednesday.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Eurozone unemployment rate steady

Eurozone unemployment rate steady

The eurozone jobless rate was steady in April from March as the economic recovery failed to generate new jobs, the European Union statistics office said on Wednesday.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Renault unveils budget car

Renault unveils budget car

French auto manufacturer Renault unveiled a budget car, the "Logan", for people in poor and emerging countries Wednesday in a venture that runs counter to strategies by rival carmakers which have abandoned such models.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Indian shares make gains

Indian shares make gains

Indian shares rose for a second straight day on Wednesday, led by auto and energy stocks, encouraged by signs that foreign funds are returning to the battered market after record selling in May, brokers said.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Malaysian shares close lower

Malaysian shares close lower

Malaysian share prices closed 0.73 percent lower Wednesday in listless trade on lingering concerns over high oil prices and with sentiment further undermined by weak futures contracts, dealers said.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Hong Kong stocks up

Hong Kong stocks up

Hong Kong's top share index finished higher on Wednesday, bucking declines on most Asia bourses, as heavily weighted global bank HSBC and China Mobile buoyed the local market.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
US stocks jump as strong data offsets oil

US stocks jump as strong data offsets oil

US stocks staged a late-afternoon comeback on Tuesday, closing higher as investors focused on strong economic data, putting aside worries over a spike in crude oil prices to a record high.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Taiwan stocks sag on oil price worries

Taiwan stocks sag on oil price worries

Taiwan stocks ended lower on Wednesday as record high oil prices weighed on investor sentiment, with the technology sector ignoring overnight gains on Wall Street to become one of the day's heaviest decliners.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
US Treasuries fall as factories report new hires

US Treasuries fall as factories report new hires

US Treasury prices slid on Tuesday as a strong employment reading in a closely watched manufacturing survey suggested the Federal Reserve would raise interest rates in June.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
US Treasuries fall as factories report new hires

US Treasuries fall as factories report new hires

US Treasury prices slid on Tuesday as a strong employment reading in a closely watched manufacturing survey suggested the Federal Reserve would raise interest rates in June.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
New Zealand shares end flat

New Zealand shares end flat

The New Zealand share market traded in a familiar range on Wednesday in a session spiced up by national carrier Air New Zealand's NZ$1.4 billion-plus deal to buy new long-haul aircraft from Boeing.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Chinese shares fall

Chinese shares fall

Chinese stocks fell on Wednesday as investors sold steel shares on fears of measures to curb investment in the sector, but stocks of firms linked to disgraced tycoon Zhou Zhengyi bucked the trend.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Philippines stocks rise, led by PLDT

Philippines stocks rise, led by PLDT

Philippine stocks rose on Wednesday, led by dominant phone firm PLDT on hopes it might still merge its mobile unit, Smart Communications Inc, and 45 percent owned Piltel.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Banks lead Tokyo stocks lower

Banks lead Tokyo stocks lower

Japanese stocks closed lower on Wednesday as a spike in oil prices hit some exporters, while a slump in UFJ Holdings Inc triggered selling in the banking sector overall.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Jakarta shares decline

Jakarta shares decline

Indonesian share prices closed down 1.66 percent on Wednesday as the rupiah fell to its lowest level since April 2002, while record oil prices sparked concerns about a growing state budget deficit, dealers said.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Bangladeshi taka falls

Bangladeshi taka falls

The Bangladeshi taka closed slightly weaker on Wednesday after importers sought US dollars to import machinery and industrial raw materials, dealers said.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Chinese yuan unchanged versus US dollar

Chinese yuan unchanged versus US dollar

The yuan remained unchanged versus the US dollar at 8.2767 on Wednesday near the stronger end of its managed trading range.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Swiss franc at three-month high

Swiss franc at three-month high

The Swiss franc stuck close to three-month highs against the dollar in early trade on Wednesday, with the US currency under pressure from rising oil prices which threaten to hamper an economic recovery.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Indian rupee records six-session closing high

Indian rupee records six-session closing high

The Indian rupee recorded its highest close in six sessions on Wednesday, helped by data that suggested foreign investors were returning to India after pulling back last month when political concerns weighed heavily.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Yen weakens as oil impact

Yen weakens as oil impact

The yen weakened against major rivals on Wednesday, hurt by upbeat data on US manufacturing and a view that European currencies were the most resilient to surging oil prices.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Dollar rise on upbeat data hit by rising oil

Dollar rise on upbeat data hit by rising oil

The dollar fell against European currencies on Tuesday as surging oil prices put a question mark over the US economic recovery and overshadowed upbeat US manufacturing and construction data.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Asian currencies hit by oil prices

Asian currencies hit by oil prices

The Indonesian rupiah slipped to a two-year low on Wednesday as most Asian regional currencies fell after world oil prices set record highs, raising fears Asian economies dependent on oil imports could be hurt.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Australian dollar vulnerable without growth, rates backing

Australian dollar vulnerable without growth, rates backing

The Australian dollar sank to its lowest level in a week on Wednesday, dropping a third of a cent after data showed the economy had slowed sharply in the first quarter and the central bank said it expected benign economic conditions.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Elderly Taiwanese man survives 12-storey fall

Elderly Taiwanese man survives 12-storey fall

An elderly Taiwanese man who plummeted 12 storeys to the ground after he fell from his apartment balcony while changing a light-bulb survived with only minor bruises, reports said Wednesday.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
UN seeks end to Turkish Cypriot isolation

UN seeks end to Turkish Cypriot isolation

A report by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on his failed Cyprus peace plan calls for an end to the Turkish Cypriots' international isolation, a Turkish Cypriot daily said on Wednesday.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Iran denies receiving intelligence from Chalabi

Iran denies receiving intelligence from Chalabi

Iran on Wednesday denied a US newspaper report that it received intelligence damaging to the United States from Iraqi politician Ahmed Chalabi who has fallen out of favour with Washington.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Russian TV anchorman sacked in censorship row

Russian TV anchorman sacked in censorship row

A popular Russian TV presenter was sacked on Wednesday after he criticised his station for taking an interview with the widow of a slain Chechen rebel leader off the air.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Russian diplomat slams Caspian energy projects

Russian diplomat slams Caspian energy projects

Russia's chief envoy for the Caspian Sea said Wednesday that two high-profile projects to export oil and gas from the region to world markets, bypassing Russia, were politically motivated and had no commercial basis.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Bangladesh police bust militant training camp

Bangladesh police bust militant training camp

Bangladesh police raided a training camp for suspected Islamic militants in dense forest near Chittagong port city and arrested two people, authorities said on Wednesday.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Dinosaur footprints found in Denmark

Dinosaur footprints found in Denmark

A palaeontology student in Denmark has found fossilised footprints of two dinosaurs from the Jurassic period dating back 170 million years on a beach on the Baltic island of Bornholm.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Nato plans terrorism defence package

Nato plans terrorism defence package

Nato plans to approve a package of measures to combat terrorism this month as part of a drive to transform the Cold War alliance into a force able to tackle 21st century threats, officials said on Wednesday.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Washington under growing pressure on climate change

Washington under growing pressure on climate change

The US government is coming under increasing pressure from its own companies to sign up to the Kyoto protocol on climate change, EU Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstroem said Wednesday.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
EU election in Italy Berlusconi's mid-term test

EU election in Italy Berlusconi's mid-term test

Even though Silvio Berlusconi cannot take up a seat in the European Parliament, Italians going to the polls in next week's elections for the body have a clear choice - vote for him or against him.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
US soldiers involved in firefight in Afghanistan

US soldiers involved in firefight in Afghanistan

US troops have fought insurgents in south-eastern Afghanistan's Zabul province just days after four special operations soldiers were killed in the same region, American and Afghan officials said Wednesday.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Nepali king re-appoints Deuba as prime minister

Nepali king re-appoints Deuba as prime minister

Nepal's King Gyanendra re-appointed Sher Bahadur Deuba prime minister on Wednesday, the same man he sacked in 2002 provoking a political crisis in a country already reeling from a bloody Maoist revolt.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
First private sector space flight on June 21

First private sector space flight on June 21

The world's first private-sector space flight is tentatively planned for June 21 from the United States, and aims to reach an altitude of 100 kilometres (60 miles), the flight's promoter, Scaled Composites, said Wednesday.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Putin to stay away from Nato summit

Putin to stay away from Nato summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin has shunned an invitation to attend a Nato summit with US President George W. Bush in Turkey this month, a senior Nato diplomat said on Wednesday.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Eastern DR Congo town falls to renegade troops

Eastern DR Congo town falls to renegade troops

The peace process in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) suffered a major blow Wednesday when renegade soldiers captured a provincial capital in the volatile east of the country.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Three foreign, two Afghan aid workers gunned down

Three foreign, two Afghan aid workers gunned down

Five aid workers, including three foreigners, were killed on Wednesday when gunmen opened fire on their car in the north-western Afghan province of Badghis, the worst attack on the aid community since the fall of the Taleban.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Iran hiding nuclear bomb programme: US

Iran hiding nuclear bomb programme: US

The United States said on Wednesday that Iran continues to cover up a nuclear weapons programme and that the latest report by the UN atomic watchdog had only made this more apparent.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Syria moves to ban Kurdish parties: Kurds

Syria moves to ban Kurdish parties: Kurds

The Syrian authorities have told Kurdish activists their political parties are banned and should cease all activities, Kurdish politicians said on Wednesday.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Two Palestinians killed

Two Palestinians killed

Israeli troops shot and killed two Palestinians armed with rifles and rocket propelled grenades as they approached a checkpoint on the boundary between Israel and the Gaza Strip on Wednesday.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Taiwan approves $18.2 billion military budget

Taiwan approves $18.2 billion military budget

Taiwan's cabinet on Wednesday approved a special military budget of 610 billion Taiwan dollars (18.2 billion US) for the purchase of advanced weaponry amid tensions with China.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
US renews call to retain China arms embargo

US renews call to retain China arms embargo

The United States Tuesday renewed calls for the European Union to maintain a 15-year-old ban on arms sales to China amid signs the EU embargo may be lifted with Britain's support.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Bollywood director arrested

Bollywood director arrested

Mumbai police arrested Bollywood director Kaizad Gustad Wednesday on accusations of negligence causing the death of his British assistant, Nadia Khan, who was struck by a train while shooting a movie.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Chemicals hurt brainpower of Europe's children: WWF

Chemicals hurt brainpower of Europe's children: WWF

Man-made chemicals harm the intelligence of children in Europe, damaging their memory and IQ levels, the environmental group WWF said in a report out Wednesday calling for new laws to regulate the industry.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Spanish minister declines medal for Iraq withdrawal

Spanish minister declines medal for Iraq withdrawal

Spain's new Defence Minister Jose Bono declined a top military medal on Wednesday for co-ordinating the withdrawal of troops from Iraq after a storm of protest from opposition politicians who said it was unmerited.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Changes needed to new UN draft on Iraq: Chirac

Changes needed to new UN draft on Iraq: Chirac

French President Jacques Chirac said on Wednesday changes are needed to a new draft UN resolution on Iraq put forward by the United States and Britain.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Sterling touches two-month high

Sterling touches two-month high

The pound touched a two-month high on the dollar and held close to its highest in a month on the euro on Wednesday as expectations of higher UK interest rates kept it buoyed.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Dollar down verses euro

Dollar down verses euro

The dollar headed towards a recent two-month low against the euro and three-month low versus the Swiss franc on Wednesday as markets prepared for potential damage to the United States' economy from higher fuel costs.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Seoul shares down

Seoul shares down

South Korean shares fell 1.4 percent in thin trade on Wednesday as record high oil prices hit prices for large caps and energy-sensitive shipping shares.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
US Stocks: Wednesday's unofficial close

US Stocks: Wednesday's unofficial close

US technology stocks fell on Wednesday as investors sold off shares of computer chip makers Fairchild Semiconductor and Xilinx after lukewarm comments on sales.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
European corporate bonds off in thin volume

European corporate bonds off in thin volume

European corporate bonds fell in value on Wednesday albeit in thin volume, and the new deal pipeline is building with investment grade issuers.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
European corporate bonds off in thin volume

European corporate bonds off in thin volume

European corporate bonds fell in value on Wednesday albeit in thin volume, and the new deal pipeline is building with investment grade issuers.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
FTSE-100 flat, GSK leads late reverse after C&W jumps

FTSE-100 flat, GSK leads late reverse after C&W jumps

Britain's top shares ended flat on Wednesday as Cable & Wireless was buoyed by a restoration of its dividend payout but GlaxoSmithKline led a late retreat after the drug giant faced a US lawsuit.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
London coffee inches higher

London coffee inches higher

London coffee futures inched higher in light trade at midsession on Wednesday, waiting for the New York market to set a direction, traders said.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Oil hits new high above $42 ahead of key Opec talks

Oil hits new high above $42 ahead of key Opec talks

US oil prices struck new highs above $42 a barrel on Wednesday amid worries that sabotage against oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia could destabilise the world's biggest crude exporter.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Oil below $40 a barrel as Opec promises supplies

Oil below $40 a barrel as Opec promises supplies

US oil prices shed more than two dollars a barrel to end under $40 on Wednesday - only a day after hitting a 21-year high - as the prospect of more Opec crude coming to the market eased supply security fears sparked by a wave of violence in Saudi Arabia.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Oil below $40 a barrel as Opec promises supplies

Oil below $40 a barrel as Opec promises supplies

US oil prices shed more than two dollars a barrel to end under $40 on Wednesday - only a day after hitting a 21-year high - as the prospect of more Opec crude coming to the market eased supply security fears sparked by a wave of violence in Saudi Arabia.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
EU states get last say on three sugar reform paths

EU states get last say on three sugar reform paths

EU governments will get their last chance next week to voice their views on the best approach for overhauling the bloc's sugar regime before three well-known options are whittled down to one, officials said on Wednesday.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
London sugar eases back

London sugar eases back

London sugar futures eased back on profit taking on Wednesday, correcting a recent upswing underpinned by concerns over rain delaying the harvest in the centre and south of Brazil, and improving prospects for cane-derived ethanol, traders said.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
New York cotton stays at seven-week low

New York cotton stays at seven-week low

NYCE cotton closed Wednesday at another seven-week low on options-related and speculative sales, with the market looking at further weakness ahead of options expiration in the days ahead, analysts said.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
EU set to debate two new GMO approvals

EU set to debate two new GMO approvals

EU ministers and experts will this month consider two approvals for gene-spliced foods, just a few weeks after the bloc lifted a five-year biotech ban that had angered its top trading partners, officials said on Wednesday.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Base metal rally reverses, LME down by kerb close

Base metal rally reverses, LME down by kerb close

London Metal Exchange (LME) prices slipped by Wednesday's kerb close as fund and option-related buying dried up and investors sold into the rally, analysts and traders said.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
Gold falls in Europe despite weaker dollar

Gold falls in Europe despite weaker dollar

Gold slipped in Europe on Wednesday when disappointed speculators sold as the metal failed again to crack psychological resistance at $400 an ounce, despite the weaker dollar that was hit by higher oil prices and geopolitical upheaval.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
US MIDDAY: coffee firms on speculative buying

US MIDDAY: coffee firms on speculative buying

CSCE arabica coffee futures vaulted to a firm finish Wednesday on speculative buying along with concern rains may hinder the harvest in top grower Brazil and consequently affect bean quality, analysts said.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
US MIDDAY: sugar weaker on trade sales

US MIDDAY: sugar weaker on trade sales

CSCE raw sugar futures crumbled to a weak finish Wednesday on speculative long liquidation and trade sales as the market stalled after hitting new contract highs, analysts said.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am
US MIDDAY: wheat falls on profit-taking setback

US MIDDAY: wheat falls on profit-taking setback

Soft red winter wheat futures at the Chicago Board of Trade fell sharply early Wednesday on a profit-taking setback after a strong weather-related rally on Tuesday, traders said.
Published 03 Jun, 2004 12:00am